Jane Potter and the Hounds of Magic
by VaingloriousHound
Summary: The daughter of James and Lily Potter bears a burden greater than all, a harsh destiny looms over her. As one of Merlin's last descendents, she has to carry the mantle of Emrys and battle forces beyond the grasp of mortal understanding. Fem!HarryxGinny. Fluff and Epic magic!
1. Chapter 1

**Jane Potter**

 **Book 1**

 **The Hounds of Magic**

 **A/N: Okay, if your made it this far you are probably here because of the Female Harry thing. Well, that you will get. That and a whole lot of fluff. This is quite the ambitious piece, I took a lot of stuff that came from the Arthurian Legend and since Merlin is mentioned often enough throughout the Harry Potter world, I wanted him to have a real hard impact here. I won't write Merlin's story though, no. This is the story of Jane Lily Potter, a girl that lost her eyesight when Voldemort attempted to kill her. This is the story of her fighting destiny alongside ancient beings against powerful foes and overwhelming odds. All the while she is bringing so much fluff with her that you could probably stuff teddies off it.**

 **This is Fem!HarryXGinny fic. Girl love, if you will. There will be other parings but the main focus of this story is making you coo at your screen while reading it. Or pant. Depending on the passage you read. ^^**

 **I bring you magic thats is almost godlike when wielded correctly and more explosions and magical thunderstorms than the books or movies ever did. While this is pretty much AU, canon is still happening. Voldemort does stuff to regain his body and so on. All that comes into focus with the Goblet of Fire, which will be Jane's third year.**

 **I have tweaked a whole lot of little things and will mention them if necessary.**

 **Any questions you may direct to me through PM's or in the reviews.**

 **Now read this and wait fluffiness!**

 **:3**

* * *

 **Prologue**

 _"It's time."_

 _A man, old of age with short gray hair, stood underneath a giant tree with leaves of golden color. A few feet behind him was a multitude of wolves, sitting to attention an awaiting the man's next words. He turned to face them, smiling tiredly._

 _"It has been an honor, my friends," he spoke, his voice heavy with nostalgia as he remembered all of their adventures and heroic deeds, "I beg of you, do as we did until now. And do pray that someone like me won't be needed again."_

 _A wolf with jet black fur stepped out of the at least five dozen of wolves that were assembled in the forest. "We know yours will have to return one day," he spoke._

 _"And we will fight by their side when the time comes," a wolf with reddish fur said, the voice distinctively female._

 _"And we will triumph again," finished a grey wolf that stood next to the female red wolf._

 _The man laughed, piercing green eyes looking at all of his companions one final time. "You will. I know you will." He looked up into thew golden crown of the giant tree. "I have done my due. Maybe one day, you will as well. Until then."_

 _A beat of the heart, a rush of wind and but a moment later, the man vanished without a trace. Up in the tree, a single bright golden leaf fell from the branches and was carried away by the wind._

 _"Until then," the grey wolf said, "Until then, Merlin."_

* * *

The cries and grunts of pain were driving him mad. For half an hour - which felt like half an eternity to him - he had been forced to listen to his best friends wails of labor while pacing outside of the room and there didn't seem to be an end in sight. Before he could wear out the grey tiles of the hallway, a hand was put on his shoulder and spun him around.

"Sirius," his friend said, "You are driving the nurses mad. Sit down already."

Sirius Orion Black snorted and shrugged the hand off. "How could I?" he asked incredulously. "Lily is-"

He was interrupted by the third figure in the hallway. "Mistress is absolutely fine," a deep voice grumbled. "The best of medics are seeing to that."

Sirius shot a glare at what appeared to be a huge wolf, sitting casually besides the door of the labor room. Golden eyes and fluffy grey fur, he was the familiar of James and Lily Potter, the grey hound Conry. An ancient being, far older than one might think. And currently his ever calm behavior was driving Sirius up the walls of the hospital.

"We should be in there!" Sirius growled, his worry mounting. "And Peter isn't even here yet!"

Remus Lupin, a weathered looking young man with brown hair and with grayish eyes, placed his hand once again on his friends shoulder and pulled him back to sit in one of the chairs. "James is in there with her," he said, "He wouldn't let anything happen to her. And Peter couldn't handle the stress anyways."

Sirius calmed down a bit and remained in the chair. "Fine. But if this isn't over in ten minutes, I'm going in!"

Conry merely snorted as he listened to what was happening inside the labor room.

* * *

"Oh Merlin it hurts! Make it stop, dammit!"

"Sir! Sir, please remain calm!"

"She's crushing my hand, for fucks sake! Make it stop!"

"GAAAH! Shut up James! You aren't the one giving birth!"

"My haaaaand!"

"Push! Mrs. Potter!"

"What the bloody hell do you think am I doing!"

"Crushing my hand!"

"Shut up-! Gah!"

* * *

The wizened wolf shook his head. Lily was taking this far better than James. If she wouldn't be crushing her husband's hand in this truly terrifying grip of hers, the man would be nervous out of his skin, walking up walls if he could. Good thing Remus arrived on time to keep Sirius out, otherwise there would be two men wailing now. His ears twitched suddenly and he rose. Remus and Sirius instantly fell silent when the wolf stood, their bickering all but forgotten.

"What?" Sirius asked, standing from his seat.

Conry's golden eyes shone as he suddenly howled loudly, announcing the birth of the next Potter to the world. Remus twitched violently in his own skin and battled down the urge to join the howl, his inner wolf already stirring due to the coming full moon. Sirius had no such reservations. He transformed into a big, shaggy, black dog and howled in joy as well.

"Is it such a good idea for you to be so loud when you shouldn't even exist?" Remus muttered under his breath at the wolf.

The door burst open and nearly slammed into Sirius as he transformed back and a teary eyed, jumpy James Charlus Potter broke out of the room, his black hair never messier and his glasses askew on his nose. He didn't make any coherent sound as he drew Sirius in a bone crushing hug as the doctors left the room behind him.

"Urgh! Merlin! Ouch! James!" Sirius squawked as he was crushed against his best friend. "What is it!? A boy?! A girl?!""

Remus was the next to be assaulted. "A girl!" James cheered with the biggest of smiles, "My baby girl!"

Conry was meanwhile slipping into the room, the doctors and medi witches never even noticing him as he approached the bed where the exhausted but happy Lily Potter was cradling her newborn daughter. When she spotted the wolf, and the others following him, she turned a tired smile to the nurse in the room. "Could we have some time alone?" she asked.

The nurse merely smiled and quickly left the room. The redhead smiled at the wolf and proudly held the bundle so that he could peer at the child. "Look at her," she whispered, "She's beautiful."

Conry brought his muzzle closer to the girl, a tiny hand brushing the underside of his jaw. His solid golden eyes gleamed brightly and the room briefly vibrated with ancient magic. "That she is," the wolf spoke softly, "And forever will I watch over her. Does my newest mistress have a name yet?" he asked.

James drew the unsuspecting wolf into a fierce hug, but the wolf simply endured it. He was very much used to it. All Potter man had that habit. If he would have had the need to brief, Charlus would have killed him 22 years ago. "Jane," he said almost reverently. "Jane Lily Potter."

Sirius was at Lily's other side, staring at the little girl as if he couldn't believe it. He swallowed thickly. "She... she's wonderful. Look at her Remus. Look at how tiny she is."

Remus smiled widely, his usually tired features awash with joy. "That she is. And look, she has her father's eyes."

The grey wolf stood proudly. "The eyes of the house Potter, the eyes of the heir of Merlin. She will grow to be a powerful witch, just like her father has grown a powerful wizard, like his father before him and his grandfather before him. I can feel it. She has the power to bear the title. _The Lady Emrys_ has been born."

James nodded and kissed his wife, who was currently drifting off into sweet and much needed sleep. He carefully took the baby girl from her and kissed the baby's forehead tenderly. "She will make us proud. Who knows? Maybe she will be the one to complete the library." He raised her a bit higher in front of his face, curious emerald green eyes stared back into his own green eyes. "You, my beautiful girl, will be amazing."

Sirius stood besides James and brought a hand up to lightly graze the child's forehead. "And the ancient house of Black will see to it. It will forever be at her back and call. That I swear on my life and honor as the last of my line."

"So mote it be," Conry spoke, voice booming throughout the room as once again ancient magic flooded though him.

"Aye," James whispered as he kissed his daughter once more, "So mote it me."

* * *

Lily laughed as she watched her two month old daughter sit atop her familiar. She was riding the big, mean wolf like a horse, giggling madly. James and Sirius were currently struggling to construct a crib since little Jane had simply dismantled the last one in her sleep. James was holding the construct together with his outstretched hand while his wand weaved though intricate patters that would hopefully make the crib magic proof. Sirius was putting all of his work into charming the lights in the room so that Jane's random bursts of magic wouldn't always turn them on and disturb her sleep.

If she ever slept, that is. She was like Remus on full moon nights. _Every night_!

"Now," James said, letting the crib down gently onto the deep purple carpet, "This ought to hold for a while."

Sirius was still frowning at the light bulb, muttering incarnations under his breath. Shaking his head, James walked out into the giant living room that lead out of the manor where he, too, laughed as he watched Conry strut around like a tame horse for his daughter.

"It is a shame," he said to Lily," that the rest of the wolves no longer exists."

Lily smiled sadly. "I would have been glad to meet them. But ever since the purge... well, Conry here is the only one that remains."

"An eternity as the last of his kind," James sighed and sat down on the couch besides his wife.

"Do not fret over it," Conry called from outside, his superior hearing once again proven. "I have done my grieving fifty years ago. I haven't lost my purpose yet, Master."

James smiled at his familiar. "No, you don't. All I ask of you is to stay at my daughter's side. Now and forever."

Little Jane shrieked in laughter as Conry hopped a little. "Gladly."

* * *

Albus Dumbledore was worriedly walking up and down the entrance hall of Potter manor. Conry, sitting at his "guard post" on a pedestal near the stairwell, was watching the man with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. Because Albus Dumbledore was completely unaware of his position. Sitting there as still as only stone could, the wolf was awaiting his master's return. As the headmaster of Hogwarts kept pacing in increasingly smaller circles while wringing his beard worriedly, Conry decided to say something before the man would start turning on the spot.

"Albus," Conry spoke, his deep voice echoing though the great space of the entrance hall, sufficiently startling the elder wizard, "What do you seek here?"

The headmaster whirled around to stare at him in amazement. "You...," he began, "I think, my dear friend, I remember you."

The wolf bowed his head ever so slightly. "You would better, young one. I have walked the halls of Hogwarts before you were born and returned with Master James in his last year. Now, what do you seek in my master's home?"

The strange feeling of being called "young" with his well over one hundred years threw Albus off track momentarily. But the trouble that was haunting his mind returned but a second later.

"Ancient wolf, I need to speak to your master, to James, at once!" he implored, "His daughter's safety is in great danger!"

Conry's golden eyes darkened as he stared intensely at the old human below him. "If it concerns the little mistress, it is my utmost priority to ensure her safety. I will go and retrieve the master at once."

Dumbledore didn't even have time to blink before the wolf was gone without a trace.

* * *

"So what now?"

James, Sirius, Peter and Remus were all sitting in the drawing room of Potter manner, intently watching Dumbledore pace back and froth. Conry was sitting to his master's left while Lily was in the adjacent room feeding little Jane.

"It is not that easy," Dumbledore said, one hand constantly going though his beard. "The prophecy is not absolute. If Jane isn't the child it spoke off-"

"We aren't taking any chances," James interrupted. A growl from Conry accompanied his words. "If Voldemort is trying to kill our daughter, we will not give him the chance."

Dumbledore nodded. "Then you can not stay here. Death eaters once already gained entry to the castle to murder Charlus and Euphemia and if Tom finds out about this, he will also come to the manor."

Conry growled in distaste. "You speak truth, Albus. This dark lord, he uses magic of old. He has forged pacts with ancient evils I have not felt since Master Merlin banished them. These barriers, the mansion's protection, they cannot stand against these dark powers."

Sirius sighed. "What about Grimmauld Place? Can you hide there?"

Conry shook his head. "No, friend. Sadly, your brother had the dark one's taint on him. Even if the fidelius is covering the house, he could eventually find it."

"Grimmauld Place would not have been the ideal place to begin with," Remus commented dryly.

"Yeah," Peter agreed in a small voice, "It is rather scary."

"Then I suggest you go into hiding," Albus suggested. "Hide where he would not search and place a new fidelius there. As long as the secret is kept Tom could not possibly find you."

* * *

Life in Godric's Hollow was not as luxurious as it had been in the manor, but little Jane seemed to love the cozy cottage all the more. Then again, it didn't seem to matter as long as her big "Cory" was there to warm her. Jane adore the wolf nearly as much as the wolf adore the baby girl. As Halloween drew closer and James was watching the wolf stare at the moon, communing with the golden wolves, he sat down on the veranda besides him.

"Anything new from the big one?" he asked.

Conry nodded slowly, taking his eyes of the moon. "Lyon is... anxious. Dark powers brew and something doesn't feel quite right about his magic to me... He has called for me, master. It is a call I cannot deny him." Golden eyes looked sorrowful at his master. "I am loath to leave at such a dangerous times, but if the golden wolves call, all others must answer, even if I am the only one to heed the call."

James absently scratched his companion's ear. "Think they found the ring? Or maybe even the staff. Imagine that! We'd be so close to the legacy!"

"It would be wondrous indeed," Conry agreed.

With a pat on the head, which annoyed the great wolf to no end, James stood with a grin. "Then tell me what they found when you return, yeah? Old moldy shorts is searching on the other side of England right now. He won't suddenly turn up here. Besides, even he needs time to break though a fidelius cast by an ancient magical wolf."

The wolf sighed. "If only I had your peerless optimism, master."

* * *

A sound like glass shattering all around the house had James eat his words. He began the incantation as soon as he felt it and the moment the door was blown of it's hinges, the cloaked figure that was about to stride inside was meet by thousands of magical and deadly blades that were shot at him. All of them were conjured and fired against him by James Potter. Metal broke against a tainted shield, the dark magic rolling off it like black fog as the man that could only be Lord Voldemort strode forwards against the constant rain of deadly metal.

But James wasn't done yet. A sharp twist of his wand caused all the blades and shattered metal lying around to melt explosively, hot lances of iron and steel shooting out to pierce the dark lord from all around him. They hit naught but smoke as the man transfigured his own body into the dark smoke that seemed to flood the house.

"Weak," the man hissed and brandished his own wand. A whip like a red lightning shot forth and was meet by a shield of purest white, a translucent wall of willpower held by James with his left hand while from his wand erupted a wave of pure kinetic energy. It smashed against the dark lord and pushed Voldemort and the wall behind him out into the front yard with a massive explosion.

Voldemort was staggering slightly, red eyes glaring death at James but the man wasn't about to stop his assault just yet. He threw both hand and wand into the air in a wide gesture, the very earth beneath the dark lord's feet began to move and just a second later spikes of jagged stone exploded from the ground several meters into the air, covering all of space the garden had once occupied.

James breathed a sigh of relief but it was short lived. A ghastly shudder ran down his spine just before a hand formed out of the smoke behind him and grabbed his left biceps. The touch burned like fire and before he could dispel the appendage, James was thrown back into the house, crushing hard into the stairs. As James staggered to his feet, left arm completely numb and useless, Voldemort entered the ruined house once more.

"Where is the child?" he hissed, batting away a blade James had shot at him. "Tell me you insufferable worm!"

James had no intention to let this monster have his daughter. He would rather die then accept this fate. Green eyes shining with power, James jabbed his wand at Voldemort and for a second it seemed that nothing had happened but suddenly a lightning struck through the ceiling right at the dark lord. James' eyes shone even brighter as lightning continued to pour onto the spot, burning away the smoke and digging into the foundation of the house. With an enraged outcry the power of the electricity seemed to increase by a hundredfold, the resulting explosion tore out the wall to James' left as he was thrown back onto the stairs.

"James!" came Liliy's worried voice from above, spurring the man to stay conscious despite the pain.

"Lily! Stay up there!" he wheezed and pulled himself up once more. "Protect Jane!"

Tom was nowhere to be seen, only a smoldering crater, as if a meteor had fallen, remained before the father. With great effort, James began to pull himself up the stairs until he suddenly shuddered, feeling sick, dark magic behind him.

"You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?"

James set his jaw and turned onto his back, staring hatefully into two red eyes. "Fuck you. You fucking-"

* * *

The flash of green made Lily whimper. There was no mistaking it. James was dead. Eyes filling with tears, she continued her incantation on the door to the nursery. Layer upon layer of the strongest wards she could muster were piling around her and little Jane.

"You will not have her!" she bit out between the old words of magic, "I will not allow it!"

The whole room shook as the assault began, Lily grit her teeth in desperation and poured all of her power into the wards.

"It is futile, girl!" she heard the dark lord through the door. "You only unnecessarily prolong your demise. I will kill the girl and you cannot change anything!"

Lily screamed in frustration. He was right. These wards would not hold him off. But there was no way in hell that Lily Potter nee Evans was about to give up her daughter. She stepped back from the door and to the crib her little girl was laying in, crying as if she had sensed her father's death. She bent down to the baby girl and kissed her forehead, rubbing the tears away.

"It is alright, darling," she whispered, barely able to keep herself from crying, "you will be alright. Mommy will protect you."

There was a singular loud crack resounding in the air before the door was opened. The hooded figure of Lord Voldemort stepped inside, slowly as to relish the moment. His glowing red eyes set on the redheaded woman before him.

"Step aside, girl," he commanded as he raised his wand. "Step aside and I might let you live."

"Never!" Lily spat and whipped her wand upwards, causing a ball of blazing fire to explode forward but the dark lord merely batted it away with his free hand as if it had been a cloud of smoke.

She could practically see the cruel smirk as he spoke with an eerie calm. "Then you will die." His wand moved slowly, deliberately as he spoke the spell.

" _Avada kadavra!_ "

* * *

Conry was pacing impatiently in front of the great tree in the hidden forest under the ruins of Camelot. The golden leaves that swayed gently in the ever blowing wind usually served to calm his mind but today there effect was lost to him. Even though he could not feel anything from the outside world, Conry was tormented by a feeling of unease that wouldn't leave him until he could confirm his master's and mistress' safety.

His pacing was interrupted as great wolf, one with fur of purest gold and eyes the purest white walked forward on a giant branch that stood out from the crown of the great tree. The wolf himself was nothing short of enormous, his height rivaling a two story house at least and his magical powers lay far beyond what a human could even imagine.

"Grey one," he rumbled, his voice like thunder in the otherwise silent clearing.

Conry bowed his head. "Lyon, my lord," he spoke, "Why have you summoned me?"

The grey wolf could feel the piercing gaze from the first wolf. Lyon, as it was, had been born from magic itself with the sole task of keeping the balance. Centuries after his creation, he encountered Merlin, and with Merlin came Emrys. Lyon was convinced to give birth to the hounds of magic, the wolves that were tasked with serving magic's primal intent. The preservation of live.

For that purpose the grey wolves, red wolves, black wolves and white wolves had been created. Each with their own individual task and yet the same. The black and grey wolves were at Merlin's side while the red wolves became the familiars of Morgana la Fey. All that had been a terribly long time ago but Conry still remembered the days at Camelot fondly.

"The balance has been moved tonight," Lyon rumbled. "The dark one did something to shift it. I do not know what it is, but he has become even more dangerous."

Conry frowned. What could such a monster have done to become even more dangerous? "Do we know what he did?"

Lyon slowly shook his head and Conry was loath to admit that he caught the spark of darkness in the great one's eyes once more. How could this be? The rest of the golden wolves, a good dozen of them, appeared on the rest of the tree branches. All but one of them were roughly the same size as Conry. The one that did rise to nearly the same height as Lyon, was the great one's mate, Feyria.

Looking at them as she nuzzled his neck pained him. It only reminded him that his own mate was long gone and would never return. Struck down by none other than Lyon himself for a crime committed by a descendant of Morgana.

Conry shook of the thought. He needed to return as quickly as possible. "Was that all, my lord?" he asked.

"It was not," Lyon responded. "We have lost contact to the last Black."

That was a surprise. What the hell was Sirius doing? All that he was supposed to do was survey entrance to Avalon. As hard as that may sound, as a decedent of Merlin, it was like a literal walk in the park. Said park being the fog isles were the entrance was but that made it not exactly difficult. Morgana, as the Lady of Avalon, had ensured that Merlin's blood could move freely between the here and Avalon.

"Did he go though the gate?" Conry found himself asking, the disbelief audible in his voice.

"We do not think so," Lyon said, eyes flicking to his mate for a second. "Something must have happened. We cannot risk loosing the line. Emrys will have to emerge once more if we intend to combat all these evils of old."

Conry bowed his head. Something about the way the golden wolf had spoken unsettled him greatly. Sirius had been believed dead before, when he ventured to deep into another relam by accident, and Lyon hadn't batted an eye. Why was he suddenly so important? Not that the man himself wasn't a good soul and a brother to James but the Potters were-

He swallowed hard, the feeling of foreboding almost oppressive. "Is that all?" he asked with a strained voice.

"It is," Lyon rumbled. Conry was gone in under a second but did not miss the ominous stare he had received from Lyon.

Something was wrong.

* * *

He didn't need to see the cataclysm that had happened in the front yard to guess what had happened. The stench of dark magic and death flooded the stale air that clung to the ruined house. The the left front corner of the house was gone, as was a good part of the roof and as Conry bounded inside and through the still smoldering hole in the ground he pulled up short at the foot of the stairs.

The wail that tore from his throat was the epitome of sorrow and sadness. There, on the topmost stairs, lay his master, his _friend._ The dead body of the man he had watched grow and thrive, had watched grieve and love lay dead before him, his green eyes once so full of live were now dead and empty, glazed over and forever frozen in the defiant scowl he had meet his death with.

There were no words for the dread Conry felt but he pushed on, up the stairs and through the hallway. At the end of it was an half open door, stuck to it was a flowery sign that read _"Jane"_ in James' messy scrawl and a beautiful heart drawn by Lily. The few steps it took for him to reach the wooden door seemed like an eternity to him and when he pushed it open he immediately looked away, unable to bear the picture. A pitiful whimper escaped him as his legs gave out.

He knew Lily was the one James would one day marry the same moment the man himself had known. She was unyielding in almost everything, a feisty one, Charlus had called her when Conry told him the tales of how she rejected James' proposals for a date every single time. And the harder James tried, fueled by the ancient elven blood that flooded his veins, the harder Lily would let him down. It had been amusing to no end to watch James shrug her rejection of and say, "She's gonna say yes next time, definitely."

And after he stopped his pranks, got a grip on his less than stellar behavior, she said yes. Conry had accompanied James to Hogwarts in his last year after Charlus and Euphemia died and got to watch how James walked up to Lily, took her hands and looked her straight in the eyes, saying, "I love you." Lily never tried to resist the kiss.

And now... both of them were dead. Lily was sitting up against the empty crib right underneath the hole in the roof, a single tear coming from her deep brown eyes knowing that she could not protect her daughter. The stench of death was strongest in this room and besides Lily was a dark scorch mark on the ground. It reeked of burnt flesh and dark magic. The specific magic of Voldemort. Conry growled weakly at the spot. Little Jane was gone. He could tell she was alive, his bond to her had not vanished, but her position eluded him. Something was protecting her from being found. Had Emrys-?

Conry shook his head. A child barely over a year old could not possibly accommodate the power that was Emrys, no matter how strong the child's magic was. Emrys was bound to a physical maturity. He padded over to Lily's side and sadly nuzzled her face. It was already cold. He made a chocking sound before he howled once more, a long and sorrowful sound that was heard in all of Godric's Hollow. The air rippled and shimmered around him before he suddenly changed, leaving behind a tall man with stark white hair and golden eyes. Wolves could not cry, they had no tear ducts. But a human could and for the first time in over a millennia, Conry felt the need to cry over his losses.

He wept at the feet of his dead mistress for hours.

Tonight he had truly lost everything. He had failed to protect his family again.

* * *

Petunia felt it before she could see it. A shudder ran up her spine, an all too familiar feeling she remembered from when she had attended her sister's wedding. It was the feeling of a magical protection being set up. Just as she turned to look out the window, a faint red glimmer appeared in the night sky before vanishing as if it had never happened. Petunia wasn't naive enough to not be aware of the implication. Lily had told her off the war, told her that she had to go into hiding.

While Petunia may not have been a witch, she was still the sister to one. And as much as she had hated it at first, when she had first seen the little girl, little Jane, Petunia could not find any fault in her. Magic or not, the child was so beautiful, it robbed her of her breath. Never could she say so to Vernon, not even mention it. It would have dire consequences. And so, when Petunia saw the barrier go up, she knew something dreadful had happened. The barrier itself may not have announced it, but she could feel it in her gut when the magic caused her to shiver.

And true to her foreboding feeling, someone knocked at the door.

* * *

 **A/N: So, here we are. I will try this story once more. This time, you may decide on the pairing. Either Jane/Luna, Jane/Ginny or whatever plausible you can suggest before I wrote too far ahead. Poll in my profile!  
**


	2. Chapter 2

_The Light shone strongest in the ever prevailing dark._

* * *

Jane woke up in a hurry, having overslept and now late for making breakfast. She fastened the cloth at the back of her head, trying not to tangle it in her waist length, dark red hair, and fumbled to grip the cane that lay somewhere at the side of the mattress on the ground. The door to the cupboard under the stairs was already unlocked when she pushed against it from the inside, causing her to stumble slightly out into the foyer and hit the wall opposite to the cupboard with her shoulder.

She hissed, the same spot was still sore from the punch Dudley had given her yesterday when she stumbled over his feet. With now idea how late it really was, Jane pushed along the wall until the rickety cane she called her own hit the kitchen door with a soft thump. After fumbling for the doorknob, she sneaked carefully into the yet empty kitchen and made her way over to the stove but walked straight into a chair that should not have been there. Surely it had been placed there by Dudley simply to spite her.

As she began making breakfast, she was relived to find all the utensils were they should be so she did not have to go out of her way to search for them. Dudley did that once, Jane hadn't managed to finish breakfast on time and was rewarded with spending the rest of the day in her cupboard, which grew too small for her over the years. She wasn't about to risk her uncle's wrath again. Especially not on her own birthday.

Today she was turning thirteen. She was giddy when she thought about what her aunt might be getting her. A new shirt? A pair of socks? Oh, shoes would be lovely! Her happy thoughts were interrupted when she clearly heard her uncle wake up in the room directly above the kitchen and from the sound of it, he didn't sleep well as he groused some profanities along the way. She swallowed nervously and hoped her aunt would come down first to make sure the bacon was perfect. It was, after all, rather hard to tell without seeing and being forbidden from tasting it.

As one could probably guess, Jane was completely blind, even without the blindfold she wore. One does not survive a killing curse and vanquishes the dark lord without any kind of side effect after all. The doctors, none of which her uncle ever asked for, had no explanation for it. It simply appeared that her retina did not work and that there was a curious scarring in both her eyes, shaped like a lightning bolt. Said scars were incredibly sensitive to light and even the slightest amount would cause Jane intense pain. Dudley had a huge amount of fun stealing the cloth from her and chase her with a flashlight until she bled from her eyes.

Only a stern look from Petunia would stop him and over time, Dudley actually seemed to grow out of it but whenever Vernon would below at her, call her a freak, Dudley would join him. But today, Jane was lucky and it was Petunia who first entered the kitchen. She hadn't heard Dudley wake up just yet and Vernon was now stomping over to the bathroom.

"Happy Birthday my dear," Petunia whispered and hugged her, shuddering only ever so slightly from feeling Jane's magic flood her like a current. "Vernon is going to leave early today. And once Dudley is gone, you and me are going to go out!"

A radiant and beautiful smile spread on Jane's lips, a smile that appeared almost never in her time spent here. It would be the first time for Jane to leave the house aside from going to school. Of course, the school was a special school for children with a visual impairment. Vernon would have been perfectly happy to let her go to the normal school but even he couldn't explain such grave mishandling of his charge's situation without appearing un-normal in the neighborhood. The happy moment was over all too fast when Vernon slammed open the kitchen door and Petunia's face - albeit Jane couldn't see it - took on a sneer.

"Where's the food, girl!?" barked Vernon as he stomped his massive body around the table and sat down heavily.

Petunia made an annoyed noise. "Hurry now!" she snapped and took a plate with scrambled eggs to the table, leaving Jane with the task of getting the bacon onto a tablet.

It played out smoothly and Jane placed the plate the appropriate distance away from Vernon and was sent back into her cupboard after being allowed a glass of water. With baited breath Jane waited for Vernon to leave the house faster Dudley went to cram school, having to take summer classes. The door slammed shut without a goodby from Vernon and not five minutes later, the door to her cupboard was unlocked.

Petunia pulled her out and into another hug. "Come now," she said, "We have all day for once."

It was a wonderful day. Jane didn't remember the last time she had ridden a car and she was surprised that Petunia had a license in the first place but it just made everything all the better. After a long time of driving and humming along to the songs in the radio, Jane could smell salt. But it was different, somehow fresher and... less dry. She turned inquisitively to her aunt.

She smiled at her niece. "It's the ocean, dear."

Of course Jane had never been at the ocean, not even close enough to smell it. The wind felt wonderful in her long red hair and soothing to her lungs. Together with her aunt she spent hours feeling the sand, wadding thought the water and listening to the sound that appeared to come from within shells. As time went on Jane noted that it grew chillier, it must have been late afternoon by now.

But her aunt made no attempt to return them home and after an hour or so Jane, who ever so rarely even spoke, walked up to her aunt and asked in a small voice, "What are we waiting for, aunty?"

Petunia smiled sadly at the girl and drew her into a hug. "We... we are waiting for a friend of you mother." She swallowed loudly. "I.. I hope he will find you so far from..." Her voice drifted off and she shook her head, blonde hair swishing in the ocean's breeze.

"My mother?" Jane asked breathlessly.

Petunia nodded and grasped Jane's shoulders firmly, the current making her arms tingle. "Yes. Yes my darling. I must... must tell you. The reason why Vernon calls you and your parents freaks, why he hates you so."

Jane gasped. "You know?"

Close to tears, Petunia nodded. "I do, yes. And don't fret, Janey dear. It is nothing bad! It is just... that Vernon hates those who are like you!"

"I don't... What is like me?" asked Jane as she tried to keep her voice steady.

"Darling, like your mother and father were... you are-"

"A witch," a deep rumbling voice finished, startling Jane and her aunt.

Standing there, just a few meters behind Petunia, was a wolf. But not just any wolf. It was the same beast Petunia had seen at her sister's wedding. The same beast that had given a vow to forever protect her sister. The same wolf she had seen take a human form right before her eyes. It was only because of that that Petunia did not scream in fright at the sight of the humongous wolf that towered over her crouching form.

"I see you remember me, Petunia," the wolf spoke in his deep, neutral voice. "And I must thank you for bringing my mistress out of these accursed wards." He turned his unwavering golden gaze to Jane, who could feel it heavily upon her. She could feel his power, his sorrow and regret.

She could tell by the breathing, the sound of the footsteps, that this was no human. The noise reminded her of dogs, if anything. But that was impossible... right? She gulped and asked her aunt, "W-Who is that?"

Her aunt merely tugged at her hand, leading her forwards to were Jane could hear the newcomer breath. Petunia guided her hand forward until she met what Jane could only describe as _fluffy_. A smile bloomed on her face as she ran her hand through the soft fur of the chest of the wolf as his current joined hers and her whole body hummed with a familiar feeling.

Conry glanced at Petunia who took a step back and watched them. He spoke unnaturally softly to Jane, "Do you remember me, little mistress?"

Jane slowly pulled her hand back only to put it against him once more. She marveled at the tingling feeling the contact brought to her skin. She could feel something from him, something that was familiar to her. Jane knew who this was, she had felt him before. So eventually, she nodded.

"I-I do, I think," she whispered. Jane remembered, even though it didn't feel real. It was the same feeling of rushing under her skin she often felt when angry or very sad. The sensation of _power_ , of something greater that lay dormant in her.

"Then let us complete the contract I had begun the day you were born." Conry pressed his head against Jane's and either by instinct or coincidence, Jane leaned her head forwards, leaning her forehead against the wolf.

"I am Conry," he begun, "The first grey hound, a guardian of magic, a guardian of Emrys. Born from magic it is my purpose to serve those who work to protect it. By the blood of Emrys, of Merlin, and the Potter Family I bind myself to thee. From now and forever."

Petunia watched in awe as the sand around them vibrated, the air visibly rippled and a halo of gold slowly bloomed around them. Jane's voice was not her own when she spoke. It was older, harder. It carried power and purpose.

"From now and forever. So mote it be."

"So mote it be," Conry echoed and the halo of golden light became blindingly bright, covering all of the evening beach.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore was startled by the violent screeching sound coming from a small silver apparatus on his desk. The normal red hue that was captured in the silver frame shuddered violently before a blinding golden light overtook most of it. It levitated itself for a second before screeching and shattering into a million pieces. The force of the expulsion pushed the headmaster out of his chair. With a yelp he caught himself by levitating his own body with a simple swipe of his hand.

After getting safely to his feet again, mentally complementing himself for his still sharp reflexes, his eyes suddenly widened to comical proportions as he realized just what had exploded there on his desk. With speed that belied his age, Albus Dumbledore stormed out of his office. Minerva McGonagall, who had been carrying a stack of papers to the headmaster's office, was nearly run over.

"Call the order!" Dumbledore barked with an overpowering amount of command in his voice that reminded Minerva of the way he had been during the war. "Jane is gone!"

* * *

 _It rose above its' shackles, entering the world it belonged in._

* * *

Two years would pass before anyone ever heard something of Jane Potter again. In this time, she and Conry, they traveled the world. Jane had much to experience, much to work through after her time at the Dursleys. Magic was not hard for her to grasp, the concept of it was ingrained into her soul, after all. What had been a surprise, was that she wasn't entirely human, only about twenty percent of her was human. Imagine her surprise, being a quarter elf and all that. And while magic was easy, the hardest thing for her was probably human interaction.

That and the fact that she was immortal. Talk about hard pills to swallow.

"I am... what?" she asked carefully, not sure what to expect.

Conry, sitting in a comfy chair as a human, smiled kindly at the girl as they sat in a cafe on the east coast of Greek, safely hidden away under a notice me not charm. "You are a very special person to this world, mistress," he explained. "Magic has it's methods of keeping life in balance and the wolves are one of these but the most effective one is Emrys. Like Merlin was before you, you are chosen to carry out it's will." He sipped at a cup of tea (coffee really wasn't to his liking) and watched as Jane nodded slowly.

"Emrys," she said quietly, "The manifestation of the primal intent. Does... does that mean I have to fight as well?" Her voice was so weak, so afraid of the answer even though it was obvious and it pained him to have to give an answer anyways.

"It does, my lady," he said softly, "but you will not be alone. I have failed your parents, failed your grandparents and even failed my own kind." His voice took on a hard note. "I will _not_ fail you as well. I refuse!" Conry had to restrain a snarl. The guilt burned him deeply still. First he lost his brethren and could not stop it, then he lost his mate...

It was a rare moment in which Jane would deliberately use Emrys, she rarely did, the rush of power made her uncomfortable. But she herself was not yet confident enough to speak up at that moment, so she did as Conry had told her and reached for the power that was connected to her very core, her soul.

The air around them stirred and the wards were straining as the magic of Emrys coursed through Jane. "My dear, dear Wolf," she said, her voice so steady, yet carrying the sorrow of an eternity of pain, "Do not blame thyself. There was naught you could have done, naught that could have changed their fate. It pained me to feel them return to me, but fear not, I have the utmost confidence in you my child. You will not fail, I and Emrys, we do so firmly believe that as I believe the sun to rise every day."

Conry couldn't help but smile. The caress of the magic that Merlin had once wielded to establish the wizarding society... It always calmed him, reminded him of kinder days. Jane though was different than Merlin in the use of Emrys' power. While Merlin incorporated Emrys into his very being, Jane only ever tapped into it. Maybe it made her uncomfortable that she and the old power were so different in nature or maybe she was still overwhelmed by the ungodly power it carried.

He only wished he could have found Jane earlier but the wards that had been bound to her blood, they were strong enough to divert and mislead anyone who had the intention to take her from there and that had certainly been one of his intentions. That and murder Vernon Dursley. After what he had seen in his mistress' memories... The man would be long dead if not for Jane's reluctance to give such an order. She was just too good of a heart. To protect Petunia, Conry had given her a charm that would keep Vernon from harming Jane's aunt. She had risked much to get her out of the wards and Conry was beyond grateful for that.

"Shall we be on our way, mistress?" Conry asked after he had paid for the beverages.

Jane smiled kindly at him. "Will I ever get you to call me Jane?"

"Never," Conry replied softly. It was a promise, a dream, his greatest wish and greatest burned. He took Jane's hand and guided her outside where they disappeared without a trace, their journey continuing.

* * *

Helena blinked owlishly at the spot the tall, handsome man and the beautiful girl had occupied just a second before. That had looked an awful lot like aparation but she never heard the crack or saw them spin. That was how it should be. That was how her mother and father did it. So what did they do? She was startled when her father touched her shoulder, taking off the apron he had worn, working in the kitchen of the cafe Jane and Conry had just left.

"Hel," he said, "Get you mom. We need to send an owl to your school."

Helene tilted her head questioningly. "But I only leave for Hogwarts next year!"

Her father smiled. "That you do my little goddess. But the girl you saw there? She has been missing for a long time now. Gods, she looks just like her mother..."

"Who was that?" Helena asked, looking back at the spot the two had disappeared at.

The dark skinned man patted his daughters head. "That was Jane Potter, the girl who lived."

* * *

Dumbledore had never liked traveling such great distances by floo, but he couldn't have cared less at the moment. His dizziness but an afterthought as he exited the hearth into the house of Alexander Makos, as a student at Hogwarts he remembered him to have been in the same year as Lily. A Ravenclaw, if memory served. He and Lily had competed for the best grade in charms ever since their second year. Lily had been victorious in the end and he also attended her wedding. When the war got too harsh, he and his pregnant wife left for Greek. But when Alexander sent him a letter that informed him about the doppelganger of a younger Lily he had seen in his cafe, there was no doubt in his mind that it had to be Jane.

"Alexander, my boy," he greeted the man, "It has been a long long time."

"That it has, professor, that is has," he said, "Come, let us not waste our precious time. I will lead you to where they have disappeared."

Dumbledore could not express in words how grateful he was to finally meet someone who was decidedly not trying to prolong things to garner a favor. There were far too many people who thought that he would always grant them favors. After surveying the place and indeed finding residual magic that had once belonged to Jane and also a power that was so far beyond ancient that Dumbledore could not pin it to anything he knew of.

Sighing and at least assured that Jane was safe (somehow), Albus tuned back from his spellwork and spotted a girl that appeared remarkably similar to Alexander, watching him, her eyes the same icy blue and the nose the same soft curve as her father. Albus figured that this must be Helena, eldest daughter of Alexander. Her jet black hair must stem from her mother. If he remembered correctly, the girl was due to go to Hogwarts next year. That in turn reminded him that Jane herself should go to the school in two months. He wondered if she would show up...

"Hello my dear," he said to Helena, "You are Alexander's daughter, am I right?"

She nodded enthusiastically, obviously proud of herself. "Yes, yes!" she exclaimed, "Daddy and me are going to Athens next week to buy most of the books!"

Albus smiled kindly at her. "My, my! How diligent! Just like your father, I am sure. Are you looking forward to coming to school?"

A grin spread on her lips and she nodded. She was obviously very content with the comparison. Wonderful! Albus always appreciated the eagerness in children to learn magic. "Then I will see you next year my dear," he said with an elaborate bow. Oh his poor back...

Helena giggled and bowed as well. With one last smile and well wishes for her mother he aparated away.

* * *

The headmaster held his hopes high even after Jane wasn't reported to be on the Hogwarts Express. During the sorting his eyes drifted over the first years and even though he couldn't see her, he still hoped that she would suddenly show up.

"Will she come, Albus?" Minerva McGonagall inquired from her seat at his side.

With a heavy sigh, the headmaster let his eyes roam over the new students. "I can not say. She could arrive her at the last second or she won't. Her familiar can bring her any time she wants..."

Sourly looking into her goblet, Minerva couldn't help but feel guilty. "I should never have let you place her with these muggles. The worst kind of people! This swine of a man... I swear to you Albus, if he did something to the little Jane, Merlin help me I will gut him like a fish!"

"I have only talked to her aunt," Albus confessed. "She has done what she can... I deeply regret not checking on her."

Minerva sniffed angrily. "As you should be! I just can't believe this... You could have left her with her familiar!"

"He was not around, Minerva," Albus said wearily, "I had to act fast. Hagrid was assaulted five times before he made it to Surrey. We could not risk to wait for him."

"And you didn't hand her to him once he turned up?"

"He never came to me. And I falsely assumed her to be safe."

Tired of the conversation, Minerva continued to eat, leaving Dumbledore to watch the new arrivals. But when the last student sat down in his place and Jane was still nowhere in sight, Albus resigned himself to wait.

Maybe next year.

* * *

The summer of 1996 was by far warmer than most had anticipated. Not even wizards and all their cooling charms could bypass the oppressive heat. In the rural little village of Ottery St. Catchpole Jane was having the same problem as everyone else in England that day in early June.

It was bloody hot!

However all powerful Emrys might have been, apparently it didn't entitle her to cool down the temperature on the British isles. Conry impressed upon her that changing the climate might have severe effects on the life of millions but really, right now, Jane couldn't have cared less. Which was, if you think about it, a very dangerous thing. So Conry decided to save the world by offering to find a pond for Jane to swim in.

The only problem Conry had with the sole body of water that was in St. Ottery was that it was located very very closely to the Weasley clan's home. And Conry had a personal problem with them, even though he told himself that he hadn't.

The Weasleys were direct decedents of Morgana, much like the Potters and Blacks were Merlin's direct offspring. As the grey and the black wolves became the familiars of the Potters and Blacks respectively, so were the red wolves the familiars of Morgana's line. And much like Conry as the Grey hound, so had the Red hound survived the purge in 1916. But about 35 years later, Septimus Weasley, father of Arthur Weasley, committed a horrible crime that had nearly resulted in the extinction of the Weasley clan through none other than Lyon himself. He was going to obliterate them from the face of the earth but Ciel, his mate and the lone remaining familiar of the clan, offered herself up to spare the clan. Lyon accepted and Conry never got the chance to say goodbye to the one being he thought that would always be by his side. It was the first time in his existence that Conry cursed his immortality and would not be the last.

But with James and then Jane, Conry manged to hold himself together. For his family. And he would continue to do so until his existence would fade, whenever that may be. Deciding to get over his petty grudges, he led his mistress towards the shallow body of water he had seen ever so often when he had been with Ciel at the clan home. Just past the next hill it should be. Conry could already feel the magic drawing closer.

* * *

 **A/N: After this, things are going to split depending on which pairing we're running. The story will not revolve around the romance but will be heavily laced with it. Those who remember the first time I wrote this will also remember that I had Hogwarts add a whole new house. I'm not sure if I'll do that once more. Let me know what you think. And keep up voting, currently we are teetering between Luna and Ginny with Ginny two votes ahead!  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: And the winner is... GINNY!**

 **Well, it was pretty close and I had to toss a coin. In the end, Ginny out-fluffed Luna.**

 **Now, up until now you could consider it all just a prologue. This story (while fluffy enough to make your eyes bleed) is quite so thought out. I won't throw my AU changes at you in endless paragraphs where someone drones on about Merlin and all the stuff I made up around him. I will weave bits and pieces into the story, explain as necessary and work it out with enough fluff to stuff a trillion teddy bears.**

 **Okay, this is a one sided soul bond fic, if you want to call it that. It is Fem Slash and the first two years (which will be canon years 2 and 3) do not have anything to do with canon at all. Mind you that canon is still happening, Voldemort is still out there and doing... stuff. He will be far more powerful, his schemes far more evil and insane and Jane will be a far deeper character than you might expect.**

 **This first Book (Jane's first year of course) is more or less just me introducing you to this universe while I bury you in tons of fluff. The second will (more or less) introduce a pretty damn interesting OC and in third we have the Goblet of fire. First year is completely planned out. Second is as well and third is nearly canon compliant so there won't be much mapping out to do.**

 **Then there is the fact that there are (in essence) three different Janes. One is shy and reclusive Jane, caused by the decade of isolation and abuse. Then there is Jane-on-elven-blood, has the hots for Ginny and is quite bold in showing it (yeah, I see them limes coming guys). And then there is Jane, the Lady Emrys, benevolent, regal, godlike. Go figure what this does to one person, big plot point in this first year.**

 **I would really appreciate it if someone would offer to work with me on this because, not gonna lie, I am being quite ambitious here. I am not trying to bore you with new stuff you don't want to know but it is necessary to build this one so I will try to keep it short and not make up some impossible to follow plot.**

 **By the way, I know that Luna's hair is not ashen. I just want it to be. Period.**

 **Now, on it goes! :3**

* * *

Ginny Weasley, youngest of seven children and only daughter of Arthur and Molly Weasley, was bored. Bored out of her mind. The summer heat was oppressive and if not for the fact that her mother had enlisted her help in getting rid of the garden gnomes, the redhead would already be submerged in the pond at the edge of the property. She growled a gnome into submission and hurled it far far over the fence where it hit a tree with a satisfying _thump_ before she looked around and found no more evidence of the pesky little buggers. Whipping her deep red hair out of her face, she glared for a second all across the garden with her golden brown eyes, to scare any gnome away that would even think of returning.

"Mom!" she shouted across the yard, "I'm _done_!"

The finality to her daughter's words were not lost to the wide bodied woman. "Is that so?" she asked skeptically. It wouldn't have been the first time that her teenage daughter tried to cheat her way out of her housework.

"Yes, mum!" Ginny shouted back, rolling her eyes. She didn't wait for any kind of confirmation or congratulation on a task well done, Ginny just headed inside and left the rickety, unstable looking house dressed in her finest swim suit, a pure white that flattered her already pale skin. She was just about to fetch a towel that hung out back when her mother reached her. The short, wide bodied woman with rust red hair wiped her hands on her apron and put her hands on her hips.

"One moment young lady!" she ordered, quickly walking up to her youngest. "You will not be in the scorching sun without a protective charm!" Molly was sick of always applying these cooling charms when she got a nasty sunburn.

"Mom!" Ginny rolled her eyes. She was doing that rather often lately, she realized. It was really time she got to Hogwarts... "I can do that myself!" Ginny huffed.

"You will do no such thing!" forbade Molly, "Underage Magic is forbidden, if they can detect it or not is of no concern!"

This _woman!_ Sniffing angrily once, Ginny stood still for her mother to apply the charm before stalking down to the pond. Her mother called after her, "And be back before dinner!"

Ginny was content to say that she did not grace her mother with a response.

* * *

The pond was not as empty as it should have been. When Ginny came close enough to see through the thicket that surrounded most of the pond, she spotted two figures in the water. One being a redhead with far too long, blood red hair (a even darker shade than hers!) with her or his back to Ginny. The other was... a dog- no, a _wolf_. A pretty damn big wolf. And it was currently paddling though the water while a lithe hand firmly grasped the grey fur of the beast like a lifeline. It was quite the picture, seeing that Ginny could probably ride on that wolf like one could ride a pony.

A deep, gruff voice startled her. "Greetings, young Weasley."

With a squeak, Ginny jumped back, never having expected such a voice from what now appeared to be a girl. But... the voice wasn't coming from from her. No, the wolf had turned to her and as it opened it's mouth, the deep voice rumbled again. "We are sorry to have intruded in your wards but my mistress was quite so insistent on coming here."

The tall girl, a regal looking, fair skinned thing that seemed to shimmer with an ethereal beauty, hissed at the wolf as her cheeks burned red. It was then that Ginny realized that her eyes were covered by a black cloth. Aside from that, she was dressed in a sinful looking white one piece that enhanced her already incredible figure, exposing a generous amount of her flat stomach (could she see abs? Nah, not possible...) and more or less voiding any reasons for the piece of elaborate clothing to be a one piece in the first place.

That and Ginny had to admit that the girl's assets were quite a bit bigger than hers. She resisted the urge to sniff and cleared her throat. "I... uh, no problem, I guess." Wait, had the wolf known her family name?

The wolf nodded and did what Ginny thought might be the equivalent of a smile. "Thank you, red one. Though I would ask you not to ogle at my mistress that much. She is quite shy." As if to prove the point, the girl squeaked and submerged to the nose in the pond.

Ginny's face blended perfectly with her hair but she managed to keep her expression neutral. "Ehem... yes... I uh... will try not to?" she said uncertainly, not too fond of finding out what the wolf would do to her. She had seen a lot of weird stuff but a wolf sentient enough to use human tongue was new. And weirder than the damn ghoul they had in the attic, too. And why would someone apparently so shy wear this... this _alluring_ excuse of swimwear!?

"Wait," Ginny said, coming to her senses, "Who even are you?"

Non-magicals shouldn't even be able to enter here! Then again, with a talking wolf, the girl was bound to be anything but normal. The wolf growled and Ginny flinched as the girl responded _in kind_. That was definitely not normal. Then the wolf huffed and abandoned the girl in the middle of the relatively shallow water. She hissed after him, growled a little and submerged a bit more, producing nothing but bubbles anymore.

After a minute, having apparently steeled herself, the girl stood slowly and faced her with terrifying accuracy for someone apparently blind. She spoke with a quiet, soft voice that betrayed a timid nature. "M-My name... is Jane... and this," she gestured to the wolf that was happily paddling in circles behind his mistress, content with letting her do the talking, "is my familiar, Conry." She took a deep breath and nodded to herself, obviously proud of having spoken up like that. It was horribly cute and Ginny had to try hard not to coo at her. "As he already said..." she continued, "I wanted to swim... and this is the only body of water here... That... and we wanted to talk to your father."

Her voice was controlled and light, the slight pauses only ever serving to enchant her already melodic voice. Ginny blinked a few times before she could tear her eyes from the girls lips. "My father?" she asked, confused as to how she knew who she was.

"Yes," Conry spoke up from behind Jane, "He knows who I am and in face of my mistress' decisions, we have come to the conclusion that he is the best option."

Ginny tilted her head in question. "What option?"

Jane smiled a little, causing Ginny's heart to beat far faster than it should. "To attend Hogwarts of course."

Ginny frowned. The girl was obviously- Visibly!- older than her. "Who are you again?"

The smile faltered ever so slightly. "Jane," she said softly, "Jane Lily Potter."

"Huh," was all Ginny could think of responding. It was better than, _Excuse me while I go and squeal behind this tree!_ "Then... uh... would you... uhm... follow me?" Dear Merlin above, Jane Potter! The girl was a damn heroine! A legend! Why the hell wasn't she at Hogwarts!? She _was_ a year older than her after all. Would she grow like that in a year as well?

The smile returned full force to Jane's luscious lips but before she could say anything, Conry swam to her side again. "No need to be hasty, my ladies. The day is still far too hot. Do not waste the daylight."

He was right, Ginny mused. She didn't want to have come down here without even getting into the pond. Shrugging, she climbed into the water, hissing softly at the welcome cool against her skin. She submerged quickly, dousing herself completely in the water. Throwing her hair back, Ginny noticed that Jane was standing stiffly at the exact same spot as before and also realized that the girl was a good few inches taller than her as well. Conry, she noticed, was no longer there. How did an animal so big just vanish!?

Ginny then seemed to remember the basics of etiquette and blushed at not even having introduced her self. Thankfully, no one saw. "I am Ginny, by the way," she said to Jane, the air far lighter when the giant wolf wasn't there. "It's nice to meet you."

"And you as well. I didn't... think someone would come down here," Jane admitted quietly. "I was... not quite ready to meet another witch or wizard yet."

"How come you haven't met one before?" Ginny found herself asking. Didn't the girl grow up with... What did the books say again? Something about elves and Veela, raised by dragons and the elusive succubi. Well, elves and succubi would explain her breathtaking beauty and the shapely, ample bosom-

Ginny shook her head and scowled westwards as the heat rushed to her face, where she knew one Luna Lovegood to be. It was all her fault that she kept having these unsavory thoughts!

* * *

On a meadow not far from Jane and Ginny, a girl with ashen hair was currently planting a new ward behind the house when she suddenly sneezed violently, dropping a bag of dirigible plums. The orange fruit (or was it a vegetable?) fell into quite tall grass and disappeared from view. Silvery eyes blinked owlishly at the spot before she suddenly giggled.

"Oh these Nargles," she sighed almost serenely, "Always misbehaving!" She then turned towards the Burrow, the place where the Weasleys lived, as if someone had called out to her. She smiled dreamily. "And don't you misbehave now too, Ginny."

* * *

Conry was amused. The girl was like a carbon copy of her ancestor, of the Lady Morgana herself. Well, if Morgana would have had these deep, golden brown eyes. The Lady had amber ones, if he remembered correctly... Of course he remembered! Even if it was like fifteen-hundred years ago! Or was it sixteen? Well, not that it mattered anymore. He watched as the Weasley girl approached his mistress. She held a quiet confidence to herself, even though she was obviously not sure how to handle the situation. A bit of Legilimency had revealed that she was quite a bit of a fan to the image that the public had painted of Jane, the girl who lived. Meeting her like this had seriously thrown that image off track so Ginny wasn't really sure how to go about this. He couldn't blame her.

"Let's swim a bit then, shall we?" Ginny asked, holding out a hand.

Jane nodded slowly and turned in his direction, asking if it was OK. He nudged her with his magic, telling her that it was fine. With a small smile, Jane held out her own hand which Ginny grasped softly. Jane gasped and Conry nearly inhaled a bunch of water as a wave of powerful magic rattled his bones and shocked his core. Ginny didn't seem to notice and pulled Jane forward while she submerged up to her shoulders.

What happened next didn't surprise Conry in the slightest. Jane smiled like a _loon,_ following after Ginny with an uncanny vigor. He certainly hadn't expected this one. It was like it had been with James all over again. It seemed that- no, it was _quite obvious_ that Jane had found her true love in the Weasley girl.

Elves, not to be confused with the magically created house elves, were an ancient humanoid and magical race that had once upon a time dwelt in the rich forests of the British Isles and the Black Woods somewhere in southern Germany. They were, by nature of their genes, unusually tall, sharp and regal in appearance and thrived of the magic that had come to be in the forests and trees. They did, on occasion, mingle with humans if they found their love with them. They had crossed into Merlin's line like... seven times? Conry remembered the first Potter, Master Fleamont falling in love with an elf, Mistress Tressa. In fact, Master Charlus, Jane's grandfather, had married a full blooded elf as well. That resulted in James being more than half an elf, hence his instantaneous infatuation with Mistress Lily. Usually, an elf fell in love on first sight with whomever magic had decreed they would be best suited for. For Jane, lacking the ability to see, naturally it had been first touch.

It was a good thing, Conry decided. Her blood would give her an added security and stability when near Ginny. Her life would become easier and maybe she could overcome her agoraphobia that way. Damn that bastard Dursley! If Jane ever was in a mood to kill him off, Conry would personally quarter the bastard and feed him his own entrails!

* * *

Jane was far from having such dark thoughts. Very far from it.

Her heart beat faster than it had in any panic attack she ever experienced before and her skin tingled with magic and so much wonderful warmth it made her head swim. Holding Ginny's hand had her magic overflow, it reacted to the girl, to Ginny's magic. Said reaction was almost visible on her because she began to glow softly and only the shining sun was hiding it by now.

She basked in the feeling, reveling in it as she followed after Ginny without so much as a doubt in mind that this was perfect. Under normal circumstances (which these weren't) Jane would not have been comfortable holding the hand or even touching a perfect stranger. But, in terms of magic, Ginny was possibly the farthest from a stranger she could be to Jane. It was not that Jane truly knew her but... being at the girls side was now to become a second nature. Jane, deep down underneath all of the fluffy warmth and magic, feared that Ginny wouldn't accept her. Her mother hadn't been fond of her father until their seventh year in Hogwarts after all.

As she submerged in the refreshing water, still hanging onto Ginny with no intention to let go (preferably never), Jane wondered how things would play out now. She had a destiny to fulfill, after all, but Conry had convinced her to lead a life as normal as it allowed. When this all was over, Jane would very much want to lead a simple life. And because if you want to do just about anything in the wizarding world, you needed a degree (a magical one of course) from one of the schools that littered Europe. At first Beauxbatons had been Jane's preferred option but according to Conry, the castle the school was housed in would not accommodate her condition quite so well. The Walburga Institute of Magic in Germany had been next, but when they passed there a few months ago, _things_ came up that had Jane change her mind. Said things would come up sooner or later but it was not something she wanted to deal with just yet. Durmstrang was, of course, _there_ but Jane held no sympathy for the school's headmaster and would not willingly step into his reach unless it was needed. That, more or less, just left Hogwarts.

Hogwarts was not Jane's first choice. In fact, it wasn't even second. She didn't think she could bear to stumble through these halls that her parents had once called their second home, as many of the Hogwarts alumni had. She didn't think she could touch the traces of her mother's magic without starting to cry or feel her father's magic without weeping in sorrow. But Hogwarts would gladly have her. Merlin himself had, together with the founders, build this school. He may have been about 300 years old by then, but he thought it necessary after the wizarding society he established had become semi stable. That, and Dumbledore would aid her with all he had.

"I heard you have been missing."

Ginny's voice made her shudder, as if it caressed her ears ever so lightly. A delightful feeling. Jane nearly forgot to answer. "I was," she said with a soft smile, "I left from... from where I had been when Conry found me. We have been traveling ever since." Her voice was stable now, louder and commanded an eerie sort of power.

If Ginny was surprised by Jane's change of speech, Conry couldn't see it from where he rested on the jetty. "So you've come around a lot? Seen-... Ehm, experienced a lot of places?"

Jane couldn't help but chuckle as Ginny tried to correct herself. She squeezed the girls hand reassuringly. In fact, she wanted to wrap her arms around her... But that would probably ruin it all. "I have. The farthest I have been was Australia."

Ginny and Jane were floating side by side in the pond, Ginny staring at the passing clouds and wondering if she could be a friend to this nice girl. "How was it?" the Weasley girl asked.

"Hot in some places and very cold in others," Jane said, remembering how she felt like melting in the sun until Conry had taught her the cooling charm. "I talked to a lot of Kangaroos. They are not really the talking types though. The Koalas on the other hand..., I have never met anything that would talk so much about it's food."

With raised eyebrows, Ginny nodded slowly. "You talked... to a Kangaroo?"

Jane giggled. "I did. Terrible accent though."

"I didn't know they could talk."

"Oh but they can't. It's just that I can talk to them and understand them. I'm a speaker, you know?" Jane was impressed how easy it was to talk to Ginny. Elven blood was strange, really. She doubted she could open her mouth if there was anyone else aside from her.

Ginny sat up a little in the water. "Speaker? Like... Parselmouth?" There were... _bad_ stories about these going around. Jane did not got the description of any of these. Much less did the moniker "The Foul" have anything in common with the girl. Jane might just be the most beautiful girl she had ever seen. In fact, she was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Not that she was going to admit that. Damn you Luna!

"Yes and no," Jane said, "Parsel is just what they call the language of snakes. It is, I have no idea why, the most common talent inherited through magical blood."

"And a Speaker can talk to Kangaroos and Koalas?" Ginny asked, a bit amused. She knew it was likely much more than that but the image of Jane talking to a Koala about eucalyptus was highly amusing.

"I can talk to everything that is intelligent enough to understand," Jane said, smiling. "I didn't know I could at first, because I never saw what talked to me and never really answered anyways. At some point I did believe that birds actually sing " _Bohemian Rhapsody_ " until Conry told me that I am probably the only one who understands them."

Ginny nodded and sank back down. "Wicked."

Jane smiled. "It is."

* * *

They floated there in the water for some time, enjoying the sun on their skin. Conry watched over them, amused by the occasional glance Ginny would cast over his mistress' body. The girl didn't know it yet but she was as good as married. Well, by magical standards that is.

A marriage register? You don't seriously think that the ministry could record that, do you? Maybe Merlin could have charmed something like that in his time but he never did so... yeah, there is no self updating register.

But eventually the peaceful silence was disturbed by the remarkably loud rumbling of Ginny's stomach. Conry suppressed the urge to snort. That was, no doubt, a family trait. Some servants at Camelot had believed that a monster housed in Lady Morgana's chambers in the morrow but that was just a story that the great sorceress was willing to let go on because otherwise she would have had to reveal that she had the stomach to eat a whole horse and still ask for a desert.

Ginny blushed and submerged in the water while Jane giggled quietly. Conry stood and barked from the jetty at the two girls. "Come now, I think it is time we be on our way."

Eager to agree, Ginny was the first to slip out of the water and pulled Jane out with her. The Weasley was amazed when Jane merely flicked a finger and suddenly a white summer dress appeared on her form. "Wow...," she whispered in awe. Wandless magic, just like that. Not even Dumbledore could do that! Or could he? Maybe she would get the chance to ask. With Jane here, Ginny felt like she would, sooner or later.

Skin contact no longer established, Jane blushed brightly and began squirming on the spot. It made Ginny want to hug her, this urge was becoming harder and harder to suppress. She yelped when she was suddenly flash dried and turned to see Conry cock his head at her.

"After you, red one," he said. It still appeared disconcerting to Ginny that the wolf did not really move his mouth aside from opening it when he spoke. She nodded, taking Jane's hand again, completely missing the blissful shudder, and led her up to the Burrow. How would she explain this to her mother? The woman would have kittens!

* * *

 **A/N: Now, to ensure that I can update this I will write quite far ahead. It will take time so be warned. If my health doesn't suddenly drop I should be able to update once a week after the next chapter comes out. Be prepared for domestic fluff and Conry scaring the living shit out of the Weasley brothers! Oh, and then there is Dumbledore, of course. Mind you that Conry is not fond of them man... Prepare for a courtesy call, Vernon!  
**

 **One last request, if you find me using 'to' instead of 'too' please, do point it out to me. I really hate missing an 'o' there but it happens and I always seem to miss those whenever I proof read my chapters...**

 **:3**

 **:3**


	4. Chapter 4

_[...] and when it was all over, they asked me, 'Are you a god?' so I laughed. They were confused of course, who wouldn't be? They would never understand. So I answered them. Truthfully._

 _"If I need to be, I am", I said and left them there. They would never understand. No one ever could. Not even you, Conry._

 _\- Merlin Emrys, after the battle for Camelot, three days after Morgana's fall from grace._

* * *

Ginny was sure that the "shy girl" thing had been a joke. There was no way it was true, after all. Jane was walking so close to her, more attached to her arm than her hand, and her hip softly bumped into her from time to time. The smile on her face was so blissful, it reminded Ginny of Percy when he had been made prefect.

"An orchard?" she was suddenly asked and stopped mid stride. Jane just seemed to relish running into her a bit more. She even giggled a bit.

"Yes," she answered, blushing lightly, "Apples and even some plums." They were close enough to an apple tree so Ginny guided Jane over to one and snatched a bright red apple from one of it's branches. "Here, try it," she urged, giving the apple to Jane.

The moment Jane took her hand form Ginny's arm, her smile faltered a bit. The uncertainty she had seen in the pond returned and Ginny wondered if Jane felt lost without someone to hold onto. But Jane did as suggested and bit into the sweet fruit. A bit of juice spilled and stuck to her chin as she munched at it like a little hamster.

"It's... good," she said, her voice so soft and hesitant again.

Ginny smiled. "Of course," she said proudly. Absently, she brushed her hand against Jane's chin, a finger grazing the girl's lips as she brushed away the bit of juice. She didn't expect Jane to shudder. And she much less expected her to moan. Was the apple that good? The noise made her squeamish and she felt her face grow hot. Trying to shake it off, she took Jane's unoccupied hand and continued leading her towards the Burrow.

The tall, odd looking building was soon in sight as Ginny told Jane a bit about her brothers ("The prats!") and how they were at Hogwarts while the two oldest were already working. "Charlie is in Romania," she said, "Working with dragons." She paused and looked at Jane who had this serene smile back in place. "Can you talk to dragons, too?"

Jane smiled a bit wider. Gods she was beautiful... "I can," she said, squeezing Ginny's hand which she took as a clue to keep going. "They are very old beings, have great stories to tell. Most of them aren't as old as Conry though."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Really? How old is he?"

"I am 1604 years old, red one."

Ginny squeaked in surprise when the wolf suddenly appeared right behind her. Out of thin air no less! "Merlin, you scared me!" she said, clinging to Jane for moral support. The girl was extremely happy to give just that, drawing her into a warm hug, her hands so lovingly placed just at the small of Ginny's back that she stopped for a moment, just enjoying the feeling of being held like that.

But the moment ended, Ginny blushed as red as the apple she had given Jane and took a hasty step back. As soon as Jane's hands left her skin, the playful smile shrunk back to a shy one and she turned quite red as well.

Conry barked and Ginny didn't need to understand him to know he was laughing at them. "Sod off," she grumbled at him, taking Jane's hand once again.

She couldn't see her mother when they got to the padlock out back. Molly was probably inside, cooking dinner or something like that. Ginny missed that Conry stopped at a small bed of flowers. Red lion lilies, they were called. She also missed that he shed a tear there, that his golden eyes were white for a split second and he would have looked so small, so tired in that moment but it passed and he vanished into the wind.

"Mom!" Ginny called out as she guided Jane up the three steps to the door. "We have a guest!"

Pans and cutlery rattled before Molly Weasley opened the door before her daughter could even attempt to open it. "Ginny!" she said, "I was just about to go and look for you! What-? Oh." She spotted Jane standing there, clinging to Ginny's hand like a lifeline.

It seemed to Conry that even elven blood had it's limits. But she was doing good, far better than she had before. No one but her aunt and maybe one of the teachers from her school could even talk to her. The fact that she didn't try to curl into a ball was a huge step ahead.

"Mom, this is Jane," Ginny introduced the girl, noting that her hand trembled a bit in hers. She resolved not to let go, not if she could help it. "She... uhm... wants to talk to dad."

Molly, ever the mother extraordinary, immediately wanted to dote on he girl. "Oh it is so nice to meet you, my dear. Please, do come in! I assume you are going to stay for dinner?"

Jane was a bit overwhelmed but holding onto Ginny gave her strength. "Y-Yes-!" she stuttered quietly, "I w-would like that."

Mrs. Weasley was only looking at Jane for a second before she knew that she had to take a step back or she would scare the girl. And... a blindfold? She would inquire about that later, she supposed. "Come on in then, my dear," she said, her voice far more contained and softer than before. She made her way to the sitting room, flicking her wand at chairs and other things that stood too much in the way and it moved out of the way without so much of a sound.

"Do sit down, dinner will be ready in a bit." She looked at Ginny's frizzy hair and frowned lightly. "Or you two go and take a bath, get the pond water out of your hair." She gave Ginny a questioning look that demanded some answers later. Her daughter nodded slowly before she suddenly remembered something and turned to Jane.

"What about Conry?" she asked, "Wouldn't he want to come in here as well?"

Jane smiled lightly, still nervous in the presence of Ginny's mother. "We wouldn't want to scare your mother, Ginny."

Ginny shrugged it off. "I'm sure it will be fine. I'm going to tell her and he can come in here."

Jane wasn't sure how smoothly that would work out. She knew that the appearance of Conry usually frightened most people, if not his size alone. Maybe she could ask him to come in here as a human. It would be easier, she supposed, but... It was questionable if Conry wanted to make it known that he could walk among them as a human. He and she herself, they were secretive for a reason. Well, to most people, Ginny not included. Then again, the Weasley's were descendants of Morgana, there should be a chamber on the premise, just like there was one on Potter Castle before it had been destroyed. And, because Septimus lived to tell the tale, Ginny's father must know about the hounds already.

"Okay," she said, "I will call him when you explained it to your mother."

Ginny stood and hesitated to let go of Jane's hand. Would she be okay? Without Conry here she would be alone and as far as Ginny could tell, Jane did not like to be alone at all. She squeezed her hand. "I will be right back. I promise."

Jane smiled as much as she could manage and Ginny slipped her hand out of her grasp and left to follow her mother into the kitchen.

* * *

Conry stood in front of the old oak that was hidden behind a small raise in the lands. This tree, it had stood here ever since the Weasleys moved to Devon. He remembered planting it here. Ciel, the little and oh so excitable Marella and him, had chosen this spot and subsequently constructed the Red Chambers underneath it. He remembered how Uriel, the second of the red hounds, had complained that there would be a shade cast by the little hill and they wouldn't be able to see the sunset. Ciel just flicked his face with her tail and shooed him away to erect the wards with Morgause, the grand daughter Morgana had been named after Morgana's half sister. What a tragic that was, with Merlin killing the poor girl. It had been the first time Morgana had been angry at him. Conry remembered how they choose to let the name La Fay vanish in history, just like the Potters and Blacks had decided to let the name Emrys rest with Merlin.

He shook his head. He could not gain entry here. These wards, he leaned against them, breathed their magic in. It was her magic. Ciel's magic. He howled weakly against the bark of the ancient tree. Only Arthur Weasley could enter here. He would need to talk to him. To the son of the man that had ended the existence of the one he would always have thought by his side.

Even decades later, the pain did not lessen. Immortality be cursed.

* * *

Molly Weasley nodded slowly when her daughter told her about Jane's familiar. Of Jane _Potter's_ familiar no less. She didn't think she'd ever see the girl, if she was honest with herself. After Albus had relented the search for the missing girl, Molly had imagined to never even come to know her. And now, the girl was sitting in her parlor. She would need to tell Albus about this.

"And she needs to talk to daddy," Ginny said, already walking towards the door.

Molly blinked. "Your father? Why?"

"Conry said he'd know him. That and Jane want to go to Hogwarts."

Leaving her mother to hum, Ginny waited in the doorway. "So... can we bring Conry in here?"

The woman looked a tad uneasy. "How big did you say he is?"

Ginny shrugged, then held her hand up to her collar bone. "He stands this tall next to me, I guess."

"And he's... docile?"

"Mom," Ginny sighed in exasperation. "He's intelligent. I would have mistaken him for an animagus. He can talk, after all. Though I don't think an animagus can, though..."

With a sigh, Molly nodded. "I wouldn't keep him from the poor girl. She seems to need him."

Ginny frowned. "She's... fragile, I guess. I don't know what happened to her... Did the books ever mention she was blinded?"

Molly shook her head. "They did not. But I suppose Albus knew." She didn't want to imagine what the girl had to go through. She still remembered how Minerva McGonagall had loudly complained about Vernon Dursley, how unfit he was to take care of a child in Jane's condition. Albus thought her safe. It seems that she had made the mistake to believe him.

* * *

 _"Merlin, as he was born, never got older than four. No, the Merlin you see, he is Merlin Emrys. Merlin, the boy from the small village, the one that got lost in the forest ever so often and liked to take care of his mother's deer one day, he is no longer._

 _That is me, no man, no god, but Emrys. Can you understand, Arthur?"_

 _\- Merlin to King Arthur I, the coronation day, three years from Morgana's fall from grace._

* * *

Though she had thought herself mentally prepared, Molly still gaped when the truly humongous wolf strode into her him, barely fitting though the door. He moved with such a steady and calm grace, his eyes so human it unnerved her let alone his golden eyes. He fixed the piercing gaze on her and for a moment, Molly felt true fear in face of a power she couldn't grasp. Then he spoke.

"I thank you, madame, for letting me inside." His voice was a deep, base. A thrum like the living earth. She swallowed thickly.

"Every friend of my daughter is welcome in our house. It also seems to include wolfs as of late but I will pin that to her puberty."

"Mom!" Ginny shrieked in embarrassment from where she sat with Jane on the couch.

The wolf smirked. At least, Molly thought he did. "Aye, I have seen hundreds of girls live though their way to adulthood and it still surprises me how fast they grow." A faraway look in his eyes had Molly hold back a comment. "Your grandmother in law, Mrs. Weasley, she was quite fast to grow up. I have seen her chase Septimus from when she was but thirteen. A headstrong one, she was."

"I... never had the honor to meet them," Molly said, taken aback by his words.

"I know," Conry said, "Septimus despaired and only lived to see his sons seventeenth birthday. His wife, Irina, she followed him the same day."

Molly was silent, didn't know what to say. This wolf, he seemed to have old ties to her family. She would need to ask Arthur about that. "Well, dinner will be served soon, my dears. Do go and take a bath before then, alright?"

"Okay mom," Ginny said and stood from the old leather couch. She drew Jane up with her and they made their way up the rickety stairs.

Jane had to focus really hard not to slip in the stairs until she remembered that Ginny was walking right next to her and decided to cling to her a little. Because Ginny didn't seem to mind when she snaked an arm around her waist, Jane leaned a little into her and sighed softly. The amount of pleasant warmth she got from simple skin contact with Ginny was crazy. It fueled a fire of passion and sheer bravery in her that Jane hadn't known she had. Her need to be in contact with Ginny scared her as much as it pleased her. She was operating on instincts, engraved into her blood and magic though generations of love learnt from her ancestors. It was hard to suppress. She didn't want to end up like her father, being far too pushy like he had been with her mother until he finally grew up. Jane refused to push herself on Ginny but her body, her soul, they ached for her and they had met only hours prior. Jane couldn't fault her father for his actions.

There was, however, a way to stop this. Jane would need to give herself up. She would need to accept Emrys as a part of herself, just like Merlin had. But... the person she was now, Jane Lily Potter, would disappear and make way for Jane Emrys.

Emrys was...well, it was difficult to explain. Emrys was power. Power that had a will of it's own, an intention. This will, it wasn't truly conscious, it relied on an Avatar, like Merlin had been, to interact with the world. To understand Emrys one would need to understand magic. But in essence, magic was what was caused by the will and determination of a wizard, using the power only they could draw from a realm that existed besides the world though what was called the magical core. This power, it came to be quite suddenly, the origin oblivious to everyone but the Hounds of Magic and the Lady Emrys herself. It seeped into life with the intent of preserving it, to protect it and see it flourish. It spread though their blood, was fueled by their will and expanded upon their use of it, for every time they would add their own will and intent in the greater whole. But at some point, in the whole of magic, evil took root. It had been born from anger and hate, born from magic fueled by the will to hurt and destroy.

This evil, it set itself aside from the original power. It was the will to preserve life standing against the will to hurt and destroy. When this pollution began hindering the original will, it formed a focused intent to preserve the original magic. This will, this power, was Emrys. It came upon this world to a child that had the potential and good heart to carry out this will. The little boy, he was Merlin. As soon as his body could take the strain, he and Emrys became one, a god among men, existing to protect magic from itself, to protect life from the harm it tried to inflict upon itself. And as long as Emrys was needed, Emrys would stay. Jane, as the current "Avatar", if one wanted to call it that, she would be bound to this life as long as their was evil threatening life and the world at large.

She was immortal.

And she feared she couldn't live with that.

* * *

Ginny guided Jane into the magically enlarged bath and turned on the hot water, filling the (also magically enlarged) tub. Leaving Jane in the small antechamber (where the sink and a cabinet stood) she prepared two towels and fetched a change of clothes for the two of them. She figured that Jane could wear hers, she didn't mind, sh had said.

So when Ginny returned to Jane, she froze.

Jane had, while Ginny had been preparing the bath, undressing herself. Completely. Unbeknownst to Ginny, Jane had taken a full seven minutes to mentally prepare herself for this and had then promptly vanished her own clothes. She was now regretting that but tried no to show it. She was reaching up to undo the cloth that covered her eyes when she felt Ginny's gaze on her. She felt her eyes roam up her legs, over the curve of her hip where it lingered a bit, her flat stomach and felt her eyes stay a bit on her chest before she took off the blindfold and Ginny's gaze stayed on her still closed eyes.

Taking a deep breath, Jane opened them. Ginny gasped softly as she stared into the emerald green of Jane's eyes. They were alight with power, a tint of gold seemingly flickering in them ever so often. Her eyes were perfectly still, did not move at all as if she could still focus them on something.

Jane smiled a bit, Ginny's awestruck reaction bolstering her confidence. "I had... to learn to keep my eyes... still," she said, her left arm covering her bare chest. "It was harder... than I thought."

Ginny blushed hotly, having caught herself staring at the girl, and turned around. She quickly disposed of her clothing as well and took Jane's hand to lead her to the tub. The girl's hands were _hot,_ not warm or sweaty, literally hot and Ginny turned to see if she was alright. That was when Jane suddenly hugged her, naked an all. She froze and turned bright red.

Jane released a shuddering breath against Ginny's shoulder. The ecstasy she felt was not from this world and she bit her tongue no to moan. Ginny's skin was so so soft, so wonderfully warm as was her whole body against hers. But she didn't miss that the girl stood deathly still, rigid underneath her touch. She released her immediately, even releasing her hand after a second of hesitation.

"I-.. I'm sorry!" she pressed out, "I didn't- I-... I'm sorry!" She bowed her head, nearly stumbling forward again, so abrupt was the movement.

Ginny caught herself and shuddered in a mixture of surprise and _pleasure_ that took her aback. "Its fine," she said quickly, breathlessly, "Come on, can't let the water go cold."

The anxious expression eased of Jane's beautiful features and Ginny found herself blushing once more for thinking like that, for actually finding it quite nice to be hugged by the older girl. _Completely naked._ She took her hand again and drew her forward. She helped Jane ease into the tub and joined her shortly thereafter.

 _They float..._ Ginny was amazed that that was even possible. Or how _alluring_ it appeared. She reached behind her and flicked a switch that was wedged in between the shower and the tub, lighting the room a little brighter. Immediately, Jane hissed and covered her eyes. She reacted quickly enough and flicked the switch again, turning the light off.

"Are you okay?" she asked, reaching out to touch her face. Jane leaned into the touch with a sigh and opened her eyes. The white of it had reddened a bit, Ginny noticed. "Your eyes are sensitive to light?"

Jane nodded, her own hand covering Ginny's against her cheek. "Mhm," she hummed lowly, "That's why I have the blindfold."

Ginny didn't understand why her touch would put Jane at ease like that but she decided that if it did, she wouldn't take it away from her. So instead of pulling her hand back, she slipped over to sit besides Jane instead of in front of her. She tried no to blush when Jane made a pleased noise, leaning into her.

 _Just two girls in a bathtub! Just two girls in a bathtub!_ she told herself over and over again. She had bathed with Luna before. This was just like that. Still, despite telling herself that, her eyes wandered over Jane's legs when she stretched them to get more comfortable.

"Why haven't you been to Hogwarts?" Ginny decided to ask. She needed something to distract herself from the way Jane's breasts rose a little with every breath.

Jane threaded her fingers though Ginny's. "I... have been in a bad place before Conry found me. My aunt, she tried her best but... my uncle was... he..." She shuddered and squeezed her eyes shut tightly. "He was... a bad man. He... I..."

She was almost trembling against Ginny so she decided to warp her in a hug, to show her she was there. It always helped when her mother had done it. "Its okay," she whispered, "I am here." She had repeated her mother's words without much thought and for a moment, when she could see Jane was actually crying, it didn't seem to have worked.

"Thank you," Jane whispered with a small hiccup, "That means a lot to me."

"Whenever you need," she found herself replying. Keeping her in her arms, Ginny asked, "How come you decided to go to Hogwarts?"

* * *

 _"I was a fool! How could I not see?! They fear us and I didn't want to see it! Now we burn! Now they hunt us!_

 _It is my fault._

 _I have doomed us all._

 _Now only Merlin can save them."_

 _\- Morgana, the fall from grace._

* * *

 **A/N: Here we are. I decided to reveal past events through these quotes from Merlin and Morgana. There will be more, explaining events and shining a light on the situation from the past. I use names from the Arthurian Legend but not really the original... uh... "position" they had. Mordred is not the bastard son of Arthur, he has no close relation to any of them and is like the Riddle of Merlin's time.  
**

 **I am trying not to drown you in non-canon stuff you won't be able to follow. So I am trying to do this with a canon-like plot from the second year. Though that will be hard. Mind you that Ginny won't be taken to the chamber and all that. But canon is still happening and now I have trouble deciding who the book will be planted on... Any suggestions?**

 **Okay, I hope you kind of get what my story for magic is. It will be explained in Hogwarts once more, of course, but I didn't want to write 3k words just explaining this. Just understand that Emrys is not Merlin and that Jane is not Emrys as well. But Merlin Emrys and the Lady Emrys are not the same either.**

 **If you keep reading this story, we will have a lot of fluff, drama, steamy fluff, more fluff and maybe even some fluff. Then thee is of course badass magic and more fluff.**

 **PS: There will be fluff.**

 **:3**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Here we go, a longer one. No real plot advancement though, but next time there will be Dumbles vs Vernon! Look forward to it, I may become graphic...**

 **Speaking of... we got a bit _steamy_ here with the fluff and it might just be the most explicit thing I ever wrote, while not the most graphic. It is still quite uh... pretty, I suppose. And fluffy of course. What else?**

 **Ah yes, I want to remind you that choosing Ginny as the love interest only changes little things in the plot, if any at all. It has, however, determined Jane's animagus form and her place of residence as well as the outcome of how the whole Chamber of Secrets thing will go down.**

 **Gin110881: Also, da du deutsche fanfiction schreibst, gehe ich jetzt mal davon aus, dass du Deutsch soweit verstehst, als das ich es mir erlauben kann dich in eben jener Sprache auch zu... äh... adressieren. Fangen wir vorne an: Also, ich nehme mal an, dass du die erste Version dieser Geschichte nicht gelesen hast, denn sonst würdest du den ersten richtigen Plot-Twist ja schon kennen. Es was in erster Linie Dumbledore der Jane hinter dem Blutschutz bei ihrer Tante versteckt hat. Da er Conry weder gefunden hat, noch dieser ihn aufsuchte, hielt er es für die beste Möglichkeit Jane zu beschützen. Ist hier wie auch im Original eine blöde Idee gewesen. One sided Soul bond deswegen weil es nur von Jane ausgeht und Ginny nicht davon weiß. Zumindest noch nicht. Großartige Idee übrigens wegen dem Tagebuch. Es fallen aber dies bezüglich die meisten bekannten Charaktere schon raus aber wenn ich es darauf anlege wird es vielleicht sogar Hermine. Auch Danke wegen den Schreibfehlern. Hätte die nie selber gefunden... :3**

* * *

And while Jane poured most of her heart out to Ginny, Mrs. Weasley was nervously chopping some vegetables, glancing over her shoulder ever so often. Conry was sitting in the parlor, wedged in between the couch and a cupboard. He had not enough space to even turn around without knocking something over. He could feel Jane's emotional turmoil grow and grow until it ebbed away. She must be talking to Ginny. Conry was happy that his mistress could grow close to someone else.

When he felt Molly's eyes on him once more, he sighed. His wolf body took up a lot of space and would not serve him well here. He knew the fact that he could become human would not stay a secret for much longer. In fact, he was pretty sure that his mistress had told Ginny already. It wouldn't do well for him to cause any discomfort to the family here. His mind made up, his head turned to Mrs. Weasley.

"Molly," he said, startling the woman, "I seem to be an inconvenience here, with me taking up so much space."

The woman stepped out of the kitchen. "Oh no, no you aren't!" she insisted.

"Fool no yourself, my dear," the wolf said, "I am too big for your house. But I can change that. Is is, however, a secret not to be revealed to anyone but your family and those who already know."

Molly blinked. "I... have to admit that you are rather... big." She smiled lightly. "And I suppose I can keep a secret."

The wolf nodded and without missing a beat, his outlines shimmered, blurred until he was indistinguishable from his surroundings. His shape shrunk in width and grew a fair bit taller. Colors shifted and when the shimmer receded not a second later, a tall man with stark white hair and golden eyes stood in his place. He was dressed in a white dress shirt complete with a black vest. His black pants matched his vest and he wore black, shiny leather shoes. His leather gloves and posture with one arm behind his back as he bowed, he appeared to be a butler.

"This appearance shall do, I assume?"

His voice was lighter but carried no less power with it. The bass of his voice vibrated through the silence left in the wake of his transformation. Molly was awestruck and impressed at the same time. The man was handsome, appeared to be in his late twenties or early thirties with hard features and sharp eyes. He was almost perfect if not for the scar he had on his chin, barely even noticeably as it was.

"It... will do, s-sir," Molly stammered.

He laughed, deep and calm. "I may be centuries older than you, but please, call me Conry."

"I.. uh... yes, of course." Still muttering to herself, Molly returned into the kitchen while Conry sat down on the couch. All he had to do now was wait for the Weasley patriarch to return. Once Jane was in Hogwarts, it was time to see why Emrys was really needed. Tom Riddle couldn't be the only reason. Merlin didn't become Emrys just because of Mordred either, that filthy traitor. They had combated many evils, not just Mordred, even if he was the last. After that, the real battle was getting magicals a safe life. Morgana... she failed. And the witch hunting began. It was a tragedy and if not for the church and their overreaction it may even have worked. But it just wasn't the time.

Maybe Jane could right what hadn't worked all these years past. With Morgana's descendant at her side... Conry didn't think anyone could stand in their way. But first, Jane would get to enjoy the bliss of school life. That and they joy of puberty.

With a wolfish grin, Conry could only imagine how much his mistress was currently enjoying herself, bathing with Ginny. If the Weasley girl would accept Jane, her life would be far easier. Maybe he should tell them what Jane's heritage meant. It could be easier that way...

He looked up when the fireplace lit up green and a man stepped out of the flames, matted red hair with spots of grey and the same brown eyes as his daughter, Arthur Weasley stepped out of the hearth.

"Welcome, Red one," Conry spoke as he stood, making the man jump a little. "I have come to ask a favor."

* * *

 _"We will have to hide. It is the ire of fear, the seed of hate. Right now, we cannot be one with them. But we will live._

 _For now, we hide, we live in secret. They mustn't know about us until we are ready to reveal us._

 _The time will come where we will live together in harmony._

 _As one._

 _But now is not the time. Now it is time we gain security for ourselves."_

 _-Merlin, hours before establishing the International Statute of Secrecy and creating the wizarding society._

* * *

Arthur yelped when he saw the tall man in his living room. He drew his wand without a pause and trained it on him.

"Who are you?" he demanded, "How did you get in here?"

Conry chuckled. "Red one, you are as fierce as your father has been. Your daughter brought me in. Me and my mistress are here to talk to you."

Arthur did not appear appeased. "What about Ginny? Where is my wife? Molly!" he called into the direction of the kitchen. "Molly are you there?"

The door opened and Mrs. Weasley stepped out, carrying a tablet with two tea cups on it. She frowned when she spotted her husband with his wand trained on her guest.

"Arthur," she said shortly, "Would you not aim your wand at our guests? How come you are home already?"

As his wife placed the tray on the table, Arthur stared at her and the white aired man in confusion. "You know who this is?"

"Well... I guess I do now," his wife said, sipping on a cup. "His name, Arthur put the wand down, is Conry. He did say you would know him, though."

Arthur did not put his wand down. He dropped it. "C-Conry!? The... the wolf!?"

Conry bowed his head, also taking a sip of his tea. "Indeed. Though for conveniences sake, I walk now as human. I can give you proof, if necessary."

The man shook his head. "I... I just, I never thought you would return here after... after my father-"

With a great deal of effort, Conry kept himself from crushing the cup in his hands. "Don't mention it. The sins of the father are not yours to redeem." He took a deep breath. "But I do need entrance to the chamber underneath the old oak."

Arthur slumped down in one of the armchairs with a loud sigh. "Of course, of course. Whatever you wish."

Molly put her cup down and looked questioningly at her husband. "So you do know him?"

"I have never met him," Arthur said, "but my farther told me many stories about him. About him, the grey hounds, and... Merlin and Morgana." He looked up and deep into Conry's eyes. "We have not forgotten our heritage, Grey Hound. And even though I bear not part in the perishing of the Red Hound, I still feel the guilt. All I can say is, that I am deeply sorry and will assist you in whatever way you require."

Conry sipped from his tea and a tense silence reigned. "Then," he spoke, "I would ask you to do your utmost to aid my mistress in whatever lies ahead of her."

Swallowing dryly, Arthur nodded. "Potter... James' daughter. She is here as well?"

Molly decided to speak up. "She is. Dear Jane is taking a bath with Ginny before dinner." She stood. "Speaking of dinner, it should be ready soon."

She left Arthur and Conry behind in the living room. An awkward silence hung between them until Conry spoke up. "Red one, how much do you know about the Hounds?" he asked.

Reclining further in the chair, Arthur tiredly rubbed his temples. "I have read all the records. From the birth of the wolves to Morgana's fall from grace, I suppose I know it all."

"And you have not told your wife?"

Arthur sighed. "I... didn't expect to ever see you again. I taught my sons, Bill and Charley all I knew, of course, but I didn't know if I needed to burden Molly with it."

"She will need to know, Red one," Conry said, leaning forward, elbows on his knees.

There were many implications to that, Arthur knew. If the wolves, even if just one, would become relevant again, then a lot of the stories about Merlin's destiny would make a lot of sense. "So... Emrys has returned?" he asked, already fearing the answer.

Conry nodded gravely. "She has. The Lady Emrys walks among us. We have yet to discern all of the evils she will face, but Riddle will be one of them."

"Riddle?" Arthur asked, the name didn't ring any bell.

"Voldemort," Conry spat with a growl.

Arthur shuddered, not because of the name, but because it meant that the monster was still alive. He closed his eyes and sighed. "I... have never entered the chambers before, Conry. I... I just couldn't. Father spent an hour every day on his knees under the tree, cursing his mistakes." He looked up at Conry. "He never intended for it to end this way."

Conry's jaw clenched. "I am sure," he replied tersely. "Let us not linger. There is an artifact I hope to find in the Chambers."

Arthur nodded, saddened that his father had caused a being such as Conry so much pain. "Then follow me."

* * *

 _"You? Marry? Merlin... What did I tell you about bad jokes before breakfast?"_

 _-Morgana, five years from the fall from grace_

* * *

Ginny was almost ashamed to admit it, but she enjoyed the feeling of Jane's skin against hers very much. As far as she could tell, the girl had dozed off, sleeping peacefully with her head on Ginny's collarbone. Thankful for the warming charms on the tub, she dared to rest her head top Jane's. This, she decided, was nice.

Jane had, for what had to be at least fifteen minutes, talked to her about life at her aunt's home. Putting it mildly, Ginny was mortified. The thought of ones own family treating her like that, it was foreign to the Weasley girl. And as Jane talked and Ginny occasionally asked questions, the Weasley couldn't help but notice a scar on Jane's otherwise flawless skin. It was small, usually hidden underneath the girl's long hair and sat just underneath her hairline on the left side of her neck. She couldn't help but reach out to it, to touch it.

The shudder almost made Ginny blush, not to speak of the noise Jane made in the back of her throat. "A belt buckle," Jane whispered, her own fingers tracing the scar almost absently. "He... He didn't do it again."

It made her insides clench. Ginny may never have met the man but she loathed the very idea of him already.

"Will you join the second years?" Ginny asked, trying to take her thoughts of the ways she could end Vernon Dursley with.

Jane lifted her head a bit to face her. Ginny was impressed that she did. The girl had been blind all her life, the younger girl didn't think she would even know to face someone to begin with, not being able to look at someone in the first place. Maybe it had to do with turning into the direction of the voice. "You... start school this year, yes?"

Ginny initially nodded, which of course achieved nothing, before confirming Jane's assumption verbally.

"I think I will just start from the beginning then. One year more or less doesn't mean much," Jane said. She was immortal after all and somehow doubted that she could fulfill her destiny while still in school.

"But you know so much about magic already," Ginny said, "I mean, you can _wandlessly_ conjure things! That is incredible!"

Ginny had very much expected Jane to blush.

She didn't.

Instead, she smiled. And Merlin, _how_ she smiled! Jane was just shy of her sixteenth birthday, looking to be twenty already but still had something young about herself. Maybe it was the initial shyness or the hesitant behavior. Right now, Ginny didn't find that in her. The girl just so suddenly became a _woman_ right before her eyes. It was subtle, really, but it hit her like a wave of hot air. The smile before so gentle, became coy. Sensual even. Her formerly ever so slightly tense brows relaxed entirely. Maybe she had pulled her shoulders back but to Ginny, Jane's already womanly features appeared suddenly all the more prominent.

And Ginny held her breath.

Jane shifted and sat up a bit, finally moving in front of her. "Thank you," she whispered. Ginny might have imagined it but was her voice deeper? It felt smoother, even the breath that suddenly brushed against her flushed skin was suddenly _hot_ and not just warm. "I could teach you, you know?"

She was stalking up to her, closer and closer, until finally, Jane was straddling her lap. The water level had fallen drastically and Ginny suddenly found herself level with Jane's chest. The curve they made before her eyes, she followed it intensely with her gaze before she managed to look up to Jane's face. Her eyes were open, the white only a bit red but Ginny didn't even realize that. The accuracy of her eyes was discerning and she would have asked how she managed that if she had any breath left to voice the question. Her heart was beating so fast, so strongly, that she feared it was loud enough for Jane to hear.

She almost flinched when Jane's hand suddenly hovered near her face, the other held her upright and was placed against the wall behind the younger girl. "May I?" she asked and Ginny found herself nodding again. Jane's hand made contact with her cheek and all thought, that she had never really answered the blind girl's question in an understandable way, went out of the fogged window.

Ginny had felt the current before. She felt it when she held her mothers hand, even stronger when it was her father, but the feeling of Jane's touch was worlds apart. It had been within limits when she had taken her hand in the pond, even though the intensity had surprised her at first, but even that didn't compare to the flood of raw magic that hit her then.

Every little hair on her body stood on end, toes curling and eyes rolling back into her head, Ginny nearly passed out. Goosebumps formed all over her body, even though her body temperature must have been close to a critical high. All thought made way for a blank, _bliss_ that filled her entirely, all of her body and mind.

She slammed back into her body and was suddenly aware of her labored breath, she was gasping for air as if she had been chocking. She was _exhausted_ and yet felt simply incredible. Blinking several times, she focused on Jane's face again, which was very, very close to her. In fact, she was leaning against her forehead.

Jane was smiling, though it was not the same smile that had her heart thunder in her chest. There was a distinct lack of heat in it and Ginny was almost disappointed. The next thing she became acutely aware of were Jane's hands on her face. Fingers traced her temples like feathers, going down to her jaw and then up a bit to reverently touch her lips. She palmed her cheeks, thumbs making out the shape of her nose. The look of absolute focus on Jane's face was adorable and nearly had Ginny forget what had just happened, if not for the fact that her body still tingled all over.

When Jane's fingers stopped just shy of her eyes, Ginny moved her own hands and closed her eyes, gently guiding Jane over them. It felt strange, Jane's fingertips dancing over her eyelids, up over her brow and finally over her forehead to her hairline. Ginny kept her eyes close, admitting to herself that she somehow enjoyed Jane's ministration very much. The fingers pleasantly dug into her scalp as Jane threaded her finger's into Ginny's hair and then remained there.

"You are beautiful, Ginny," Jane whispered just barely loud enough for Ginny to even hear her.

Opening her eyes, Ginny blushed but smiled. This was so... unusual. Her mother had told her that she was beautiful. So had her father, Luna and even Bill and Charlie but never had it felt so... important. "As are you," Ginny said and this time, Jane did blush.

She removed herself from Ginny as fast as she could without slipping and submerged as far as possible in the water. "I-... I'm sorry, I was... I didn't-" she stuttered and at some point submerged deep enough to merely make bubbles. Which was the second time that happened in just one day, Ginny noted.

"It's fine," Ginny assured her, though she wasn't completely sure _what_ had happened in the first place. "We should get out, you know? Mom's gonna wear out the kitchen floor, pacing while waiting for us."

She stood and took Jane's hand to help her stand. The girl's features eased a bit as soon as she established skin contact and Ginny reminded herself to ask about that sometime soon. Just not now after... well, uhm... whatever had happened here. Her mother didn't need to know about that...

* * *

 _Damn_. Ginny was aware that Jane was bigger than herself. Heck, since half an hour more so than ever! But seeing her in her _own_ tee and and pants, which fit snugly in just about every place available, Ginny found herself staring. Extensively. It just fit. _So. Damn. Snugly!_

And her chest bounced! With every single step!

Mind you that neither Jane nor Ginny had ever spent a thought about using magic to get Jane some fitting clothes. Because, evidently, Ginny's clothes fit _just_ fine.

They were climbing down the stair, which afforded a lot of concentration on Jane's part to not miss one of the askew steps and on Ginny's side to actually keep her eyes from straying. The first thing Ginny noticed when she entered the parlor was that it was empty. There was no way she could have missed Conry, the wolf was far too big to hide, and her father was usually still at work at this time.

"Mom?" she called out, walking with Jane towards the kitchen, "Mom, are you there?"

"Kitchen, dears!" Well of course, were else? Ginny shook her head and pushed the door open. She was startled to see another man standing there with her mother and father she had never seen before, so tall and stark white hair.

He turned to her and inclined his head. "Mistress," he spoke, and Ginny feared that the walls would shake of his voice were any deeper, "welcome back." His smile was neutral and somewhat strange but his eyes, golden eyes, were alight with mirth. "I see you bath was... _exhilarating_."

In a flash, both Jane and Ginny invented a shade of red that should neither be visible to the human eye nor be produced by the human body.

"Conry!" Jane hissed quietly, trying to pull the collar of her shirt over her nose.

The man, evidently Conry (however that had happened, Ginny noted) chuckled deeply. "My apologies." He wasn't sorry at all. Walking up to them, Ginny thought he must have been far over six feet, he gently took Jane's hand from Ginny's and the Weasley could almost see her deflate. "Mr. Weasley is present," he told her.

Jane straitened and took a deep breath. Mr. and Mrs Weasley were patiently waiting while Molly's eyebrows were still quite elevated and eyes trained on her still blushing daughter. When Jane stopped with Conry in front of them, Arthur also seemed to steady himself.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," he said, a little hesitant at first. Molly had told him that the girl had grown to be quite shy and Conry then added that she had no positive experiences with male adults. The growl in the man's voice had made him shudder. "You have wanted to talk to me?"

Jane nodded, a gesture that surprised Arthur, coming from a blind girl. "I-I...," she began but didn't seem to find her voice, shrinking away from Arthur.

Ginny decided that maybe she shouldn't stand back like that. Only hesitating for a moment, she took Jane's other hand. She never caught the smile on Conry's face before he squeezed Jane's hand, let go and stepped back a bit.

The effect was instant. "I... wanted to ask for you help, Mr. Weasley," Jane said, albeit quietly. "I assume Conry... informed you of... of the situation?"

Arthur almost sighed in relief. "He has. And I understand. You have my families full support. Everything I can offer. As Morgana was to Merlin, we will stand at your side." He glanced at his daughter. "We will be happy to help."

A small smile was on Jan's lips as she answered. "Thank you." She bowed lightly and Arthur had to resist the urge to reach out and stop her. Molly had no such reservations and only Ginny could stop her mother from glomping Jane.

Conry cleared his throat, a gesture only his human form made possible. "We do need to contact Albus. We have... avoided him ever since we left and the wards that shield Jane from pesky owl post also included him." He smiled. "I assume that the decision to attend Hogwarts is final, so talking to him is sadly necessary."

"Sadly?" Molly questioned.

Arthur cringed when Conry let a snarl slip though his calm mask. "Albus has kept me from my mistress for twelve years. My mistress must only ever think of it and I will eviscerate the man!" He took a deep breath to calm himself as his magic began rattling the kitchen. "Blood wards!" he spat, "Bound to blood that harbor immeasurable power! I wouldn't ever have found her if not for her aunt taking her far enough from them."

Ginny squeezed Jane's hand and found that yet another person had earned her ire before she ever really met him. Maybe she wouldn't talk to Dumbledore after all. At least not kindly. Bugger him.

"It is over now," Jane whispered, "He did what he thought was best. You weren't there when the first Death Eaters already came. He had no way to contact you or know where you were." The quiet authorities in her voice was making Conry flinch. "I have told you before, he has not earned you ire."

Conry snapped into a bow so low and fast it had Molly jump in surprise while Arthur took a surprised step back. "Forgive my insolence!"

Jane smiled tentatively. "Raise your head. It is nothing to forgive."

Ginny was astonished by this... this queen-like behavior. Eventually Arthur cleared his throat and pulled something out of his pocket. It was a small box, deep red in color. "Then there is... this," he said. as Jane faced him again, he uncertainly held it out to her but eventually his eyes pleaded with his daughter to take it.

When Ginny handed the box to Jane, there was a brief and almost visible pulse in the air. It reminded the young Weasley much of the... _experience_ in the bath, even though it was far less intense. She blushed, thinking about it.

Jane gasped softly and pried the lid open. On a jet black cushion of satin, lay a ring so black it appeared to absorb the light completely. "This," Arthur said, eyes trained on the ring, "was a present the Potter family made hundreds of years ago to the Weasleys."

Conry could barely keep himself from reaching out and grasping it. "It had been forged by Ciel, the Red Hound, as wedding band for Merlin's wife, the Lady Ambrosia. Morgana enchanted it to forever protect the sacred bond of man and nymphs."

"Nymphs?" Ginny found herself asking. Elves she knew but nymphs?

Conry smiled, eyes still on the ring. "Aye, nymphs. Or dryads, really. The Lady of the Lake, they called her. She was a being of nature, of magic itself and only she ever understood what it meant for Merlin to be Emrys."

That, Ginny noted, was yet another thing she had to ask about.

"She and Merlin met quite by chance," Conry continued, lost in the memory. "I was but seven years old then. Merlin was... seventeen, hadn't even met Arthur yet and we had just taken down a Necromancer that started corrupting magic in the region when we passed the lake. There were like thirty wolves and when Vivien walked out of the water, bare as she was born, Merlin froze like a deer in the flash of a lightning." He chuckled. "As almighty and aloof as he was, a naked woman was all it took to throw him off kilter." He glanced at Jane. "Happens to most, I suppose."

As if she had felt his eyes on her, Jane blushed. She handed the ring to Conry who stared at it for a long second before banishing it to a safer place-

"But we are getting off track," Conry said, looking at them. "I, meaning my mistress and me, we will have to insist on a vow of secrecy on all this. On everything concerning Jane and her destiny, which we will of course reveal to you shortly."

And while Ginny added yet another question to a seemingly ever growing list, Arthur frowned. "Is our word not enough?"

Jane shook her head. "It would be, but... there are people who can take your secrets from your mind without you ever noticing. This vow will protect you."

"Make no mistake," Conry said seriously, rising to his full height, "You will take this vow. Willingly or not. There is a lot at stake."

The Weasleys found themselves nodding. Conry was a very intimidating person, more so if he intimidated on purpose.

"I... of course we will take the vow," Arthur said, "It was just a bit sudden."

"Don't be frightened," Conry said, backing down a bit, "it is for your safety more than anything else."

Molly sighed but nodded and glanced back at the stove. A stew was idly bubbling there and she took a quick look inside. "Shall we then? Dinner is just about ready."

Conry nodded. "Indeed. But... you may want to sit down."

Wondering why but still doing so, the Weasleys quickly gathered three chairs and sat down in a row. "My lady?" Conry asked of Jane.

She nodded ad held out her hand.

Out of the air, shimmering slowly and in beautiful light, a cane (or was it a staff?) materialized in Jane's hand. Sleek white wood with grayish veins that drew though it, shod with intricate forms of silver that appeared to be tree branches wrapping around the wood and topping in a tree crown of solver gold that encased what had to be the biggest emerald in existence. It was bigger than Ginny's fist, nestled in golden leaves and glowing softly.

But it was what happened next that made the need to sit down all too clear to them.

* * *

 **Emrys inbound!  
**

 **A/N: Edited thanks to Gin110881!**


	6. Chapter 6

_"You have to control yourself, Merlin. Guinevere actually fainted! Throwing your power around like that, try to keep a lid on it._

 _Can't have the Lords drop dead whenever you enter the throne room, can we?"_

 _-Arthur to Merlin, two years from Morgana's fall from grace._

 _Just a day later, an old aristocrat had a sudden, unexplained heart attack after slandering about elves and dryads._

 _Merlin denied his involvement._

* * *

In hindsight, Ginny was much impressed that she hadn't fainted, unlike her mother. At first, nothing really happened. She was a bit surprised when Jane begun unraveling the cloth around her eyes but said nothing. Then Jane changed. It was subtle, like it had been before, much like back in the tub, a memory Ginny was quite so fond of the more she thought about it.

All Luna's fault!

The girl seemed to gain an inch or two in height, pushed her shoulders back and put the staff down onto the kitchen floor, hands balancing on the emerald orb onto. A breath so small escaped her, Ginny could have missed it if not for her painfully tense attention focused solely on the green eyed girl. A small, graceful smile appeared on Jane's lips when it suddenly happened.

The very second she opened her eyes, Ginny barely managing to note their golden color, it was like she was drowning. Suddenly there was no air to breath and no room to move. With crushing force, raw magic hit Ginny once again but it was a far cry from the ecstatic caress she had been treated to before. It filled her, flooded her system and threatened to _boil_ her insides with heat while it felt like she had been frozen in ice. She managed a singular, chocked gasp for air before it was suddenly over.

Not a second had passed.

Besides her, as she was still frozen in shock, her mother fainted dead away. Conry had already stepped forward to keep her upright. Her father, ashen faced, was in no condition to do so as he, too, struggled to regain his breathing.

"I must apologize."

The voice, while nothing short of angelic, made Ginny's insides turn over as it vibrated through the kitchen, cracking the glass of the window behind them. The subtle lifting of her hand was all it took to repair it.

Ginny regained her composure though failed utterly to control her breathing. She could only stare at this otherworldly being that stood before her. With knees too weak to support, Ginny's attempt to stand and approach whatever being Jane had switched with, failed before it even began. Before her knees could meet the floor, Jane had _glided_ forward and caught her before she could slip.

"Again," she said, pulling Ginny up with strength that belied her lithe form. "I apologize. It is not easy for Jane to relent control to me."

Now the young Weasley clung to her, to this woman, as if it was all that was there. Her hand on Ginny's arm was like a fire burning, seized her very soul and kept her frozen in place. She was guided back to the seat, didn't even blink as she stared into those golden eyes, spotting flecks of green light in them.

Jane, or whoever stood now before them, smiled. "I am, as you have surely realized, not Jane. I am what once was called Emrys, I am the will of magic." She inclined her head softly and Ginny noticed that Jane's terribly long hair was slightly afloat around Emrys, like a red halo. " As wonderful as it is to talk to you, I must hurry. I will take a vow from you that will shield and protect you from any foreign influence on your mind. Arthur," she said, breaking Mr. Weasley out of his dazed state and causing him to jump out of his chair where Conry had to catch him lest he simply fell over.

"Y-Yes!?" he gasped, the air still too heavy to breath.

Jane- _Emrys_ , Ginny reminded herself, smiled benevolently and raised her staff a bit, just so that it left the kitchen floor. Letting go of it, it remained afloat, rotating slowly in place. Folding her hands over her stomach, she spoke to them. "It will take but your word for the whole family. I know that my presence is not easy to bear."

Arthur and Ginny would have tried and denied that but found that air to speak with was hard to come by. Molly, who had regained her senses to some extent, stared at Emrys with unbridled fear. Her eyes were tear struck as she mouthed incoherent words, pleas for help.

Emrys, expression never changing, raised one hand, palm facing the family. "And hereby they vow, every secret be kept, every word held onto, that they may not speak of it, may not share it, not divulge it to anyone. It will be illusive to those who seek it, far from those who want it and safe from those who intend to do harm." The emerald on the staff began to shine a soft light on them, even the fearful Molly appeared mesmerized by it. "In my name, spoken with the words of power, those present hereby swear to me their utmost secrecy."

And then, just as Ginny was about to try and from a verbal confirmation, the light became too bright and she flinched back.

" _So mote it be, in life, in death and in all eternity. These be my words. That be my will."_ Ginny could hear the words but could make neither head nor tails of it. A language foreign to her that sounded alike with rain falling, if that was even possible.

A hand on her cheek had her focus back on reality, though the picture of these angelic features was very much dream like to Ginny. "My dear," Emrys whispered, and Ginny was surprised to see everything else was froze in some kind of stasis. She looked around wildly for a second. The bead of swat on her father's forehead had even halted it's decent. The fiery palm turned her head back softly, to face the angel in front of her. "Be good to her, my dear. Jane didn't and will not have it easy. Stand at her side if you can. That I ask of you as a mother."

Ginny had no chance to reply, suddenly everything was moving again, Emrys back in her place in front of them as the light faded from the room and the halo of red hair subsided. And then there was Jane again, the moment she had closed her eyes. Conry, standing at her side, quickly and with practiced ease fastened the blindfold around her eyes and was just fast enough to catch the girl before she collapsed.

"Jane!" Ginny found herself exclaiming as she moved to the girl's side. "What happened?" she asked Conry.

"Be at ease," the man said, "it is the toll it takes to merely lend herself to Emrys." He brushed a red lock out of Jane's face. "She will be up shortly. It takes a lot out of her, but she is strong. Fear not."

Ginny hoped he was right, squeezing Jane's hand in hopes to rouse her sooner.

Arthur stood shakily from his chair, placing a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder who flinched in surprise. "Well...," he began, "that was... intense."

Molly nodded shakily. "I... what was that?" she managed to ask.

Conry smiled, picking Jane up with ease, cradling her against his chest. "That, red ones, was Emrys. Jane Emrys, more precisely. As the Lady herself told you, she is the will of magic, it's manifestation trough my mistress Jane." He looked sadly down at Jane's exhausted features. "As you see, it takes an immense toll on her. Because Jane grew up to be fourteen before she embraced Emrys for the first time, she is entirely separated from Emrys, unlike Merlin was. Because my mistress wished to remain her parent's daughter, she only ever becomes the Lady Emrys if it is necessary."

Ginny looked sadly at Jane. "Is it... always like that?"

Conry shook his head. "No, only if she uses a great deal of power. Jane would have made herself seriously ill if she had tried to invoke the vow."

"And you couldn't do it?" Arthur asked, helping his wife stand.

"I couldn't, no," Conry replied, "The vow had to me be taken by a human. I, mind you, am not human. There is no blood to bind the vow to."

Molly gasped. "Blood magic?"

With a sigh, Conry walked back into the parlor, Ginny hot on his heels. Arthur followed with Molly. The food was quite forgotten. Placing Jane on the couch - where Ginny immediately sat down at her side - Conry began to explain.

"I have always wondered why people have become so apprehensive towards blood magic. Back in the old days, when magic was taught from parent to child, blood magic was the most common thing. No one made wands yet so stronger spells needed some kind of focus and because one's own lifeblood carries within the magic and will of all those who came before, blood was the next best thing. One of the most common things to do, was sacrificing a bit of blood to ensure the healthy birth of a child or imbue the seeds for the coming winter to protect them against the forces of time. That is the preservation charm, invented by Morgause Weasley, the second generation of your very own family."

Ginny only half listened. She was staring at Jane, trying to figure out why she would carry so much power at such a price. As Conry and her parents were talking about rituals and what the ministry did to outlaw them, Ginny felt suddenly quite tired. Watching Jane sleep was a bit infectious, she had to admit. She yawned once, deciding to better rest her eyes a bit. She was asleep within half a minute.

Conry stopped talking when Ginny's consciousness faded. "What is it?" Arthur asked.

He looked at the parents of young Ginny seriously. "I must tell you a few things more about Jane, but I suppose that can wait. For now, we all should rest. Enduring the raw magic of the most powerful being in existence takes an enormous toll on your mind. Once we are well rested, I would ask of you to call for Albus Dumbledore. I must have a word with him, as of course does my mistress."

Molly did indeed feel extremely tried. "That would be possible. Then let us put our family magic to good use, shall we? The food will have to wait for a bit."

"Let's," Arthur agreed, rubbing his eyes. And he had hoped for a nice and quiet day by returning home early. Well, it was definitely far from quiet. He only wondered just how much of a mess this was going to be once his boys returned home...

* * *

 _"Have you ever wondered why the Elves are so secluded?_

 _Because they fear that humans won't understand their love. It is deeper than everything we can feel, even with magic, and the devotion to their partners appears fanatical and possessive to them._

 _Did you know they don't live for a day after their partner died? They use that day to prepare a burial and then lay down next to them._

 _It is beautiful as much as it is terrifying."_

 _\- Morgana on the Elves of the British Isles_

* * *

Albus Dumbledore pushed a stack of papers across his desk, idly wondering when his job had become so... _enriched_ with paperwork. The board of governs had declined the reset of the enrollment age once again, seeing as the mess with the philosopher stone did not shine a good light on the school safety. Not that they knew about the stone, of course, but they did know about the unfortunate death of one Quirinius Quirrell and the death of the unicorns in the forest.

Admittedly, Albus still wondered what exactly had possessed the unfortunate professor. There were traces of something dark, of course, but it was so old, Albus couldn't place it. The board of governs had dismissed his plea once more, using the same reason as ever.

 _"How could we possibly declare anything safe if not even our savior has returned?"_ Lucius Malofy had asked. Fudge had so readily agreed, it reminded Albus once again of the fact that the minister was up to the neck in Malfoy's pocket.

He was about to just charm his signature on all of these when the door was roughly shoved open and his deputy barraged inside, looking none too happy with all the papers she was carrying. When she saw Albus point his wand at his workload, looking at her like a deer caught in the headlights (a phrase she had once learned from Lily Potter) her frown deepened.

"Albus Dumbledore!" she hissed, "Don't you dare!"

Flinching at the scathing tone in Minerva's voice, Albus remorsefully pocketed his wand and got to his feet almost immediately, jumping at the chance to escape the papers for just about any reason there was.

Much to his surprise the tired face of Arthur Weasley greeted him. "Arthur," he greeted, trying to ignore the disappointed gaze from McGonagall behind him, "To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?"

"Ah... Albus...," the man began, quickly looking over his shoulder it seemed, "I think you might want to come over."

"I might?"

"Yes, yes, you see... Ah, to hell with it. Jane Potter is here."

Albus dived headfirst into the fire without so much as a second thought and was whisked away before Minerva could protest.

"The nerve of him!" she sniffed. Looking around to see if the portraits were indeed all asleep, she quickly charmed all her papers with her signature and hurried after Albus into the floo. No way in hell would she miss the chance to see little Jane!

* * *

Albus toppled Arthur over as he was ejected from the floo, causing Molly to make a noise of surprise.

"Headmaster!" she exclaimed, "Are you alright?" She began helping him and her husband to his feet.

Albus smiled a bit sheepishly, which appeared out of place on a man well over a hundred years old. "I am, I am. Thank you Molly. Excuse my quite sudden entrance."

"It's fine, Albus," Arthur said, "I understand. It is quite... urgent, I suppose."

"It is indeed," the old man spoke, his blue eyes surveying the room. They cam to an abrupt stop when they reached a man that stood in front of the couch that separated them.

Golden eyes, smoldering with barely suppressed anger, glared at him so intensely, if looks could have killed, Albus Dumbledore would have ceased to exist then and there. He would have attempted to greet the man, whose eyes (despite their clear death threat) seemed familiar to Albus. The headmaster was about to inquire about Miss Potter when the tall man spoke up.

"Albus Dumbledore," he _thundered_ in a voice so deep, Albus feared the earth would split open. The light around him seemed to dim as his presence filled out the whole of the room. "It has been quite some time."

The headmaster found himself swallowing. "Has it?" he asked, his voice actually meek and cowed.

"Fourteen years, you old fool," the man growled. Albus almost took a step back into the hearth. Where had the Weasleys gone? And was the man growing _fangs_?

"I-If I may... your name was...?" Albus pressed.

The white haired man- _beast_ stalked around the couch, a snarl on his lips and death in his eyes. "You would do well to remember me, young one, _foolish one_! I am Conry, the Grey Hound and _guardian_ of the Potter family." He stopped just short of running into him, towering a full head over the old wizard. "Ring any bell, Albus?"

The headmaster took an involuntary step back, colliding with the mantelpiece. "I.. do, w-wolf. I have not seen you since I brought the prophecy before you."

"Indeed." Conry stepped back a bit, granting the headmaster space to breath. "And yet, despite knowing who I am, you have kept my mistress from me. For _thirteen years._ "

Albus thought his heart might give out. The intensity of magic that was pressed against his own was so overwhelming, Albus couldn't grasp the extent of it. The being before him could eradicate him without moving a muscle. He meant nothing to him. Was nothing before him. His knees grew weak when the force suddenly retreated entirely and Albus found that he had a sudden need for air. A voice like a quiet aria resounded through the room, soft and gentle.

"Please, Conry," it said, "You promised to be calm."

Conry, Albus could see him bow in the direction of the couch but didn't find the strength to raise his head to see who it was, and spoke. "I- I am sorry, mistress. I couldn't-"

"It's okay," the woman said. "Let us talk to him. An no oppressing," she chided. There was a giggle from a third person and when Albus managed to rise from his forcefully bowing state, actually looking at the source of the voice, he nearly fell to his knees.

Sitting upright on the couch, was a woman with hair so red it put the thickest blood to shame. Her skin was so pale it seemed to shine in the light that the deary curtains let fall into the room, causing the young woman's hair to shine, bathing her in warm light. The warmth was reflected in her gentle smile, the gentle curve of her lips that was nothing short of graceful. And then, Albus Dumbeldore's heart, momentarily soaring from seeing her again, shattered into tiny little pieces.

He was reminded all to violently that this girl, this angelic being, was blind.

A sob tore at the back of his throat but he held it back.

Instead, he stood straight again, albeit not without difficulty. He noted that the third person in the room was the youngest Weasley, Ginny. And while he had never really met the girl before, she looked at him apprehensively. He glanced at Conry, who kept his back firmly to him, unwilling to look him in the eyes. He wouldn't fault him.

"H-Headmaster," Jane spoke and the lack of confidence in her voice deeply disturbed the man, "I-..." Her voice gave out on her and she seemed to shrink a bit into herself. Though when Ginny took the girls hand, a brief smiled hushed over her face and she tried once more. "I would... have liked... to attend y-your school." She hastened her voice, seemingly afraid of losing her bout of confidence if she hesitated too long.

Albus dared to smile, a weary eye kept on the wolf-man. "I would be honored to have you, Miss Potter." The name felt so strange on his tongue. As if he had no right to even address her that way.

Conry snorted loudly but both Jane and Ginny seemed content with ignoring her.

"Th- Thank you," the girl almost squeaked and Dumbledore would have wanted to hug her if not for the possibility of Conry sinking his teeth into his neck.

"It is no problem at all, my dear." He had finally managed to regain his composure. But... he didn't dare ask why she had left Privet Drive. The Blood Wards had long since shattered and there was no sense in her returning there, having a guardian that could flatten him with but a flick of his fingers. Conry was far too scary...

"That isn't all," Conry decided to speak up. "There is still the matter of you hiding her from me." He still didn't look at the old headmaster. Albus considered himself lucky.

The man sighed quietly. "I had to act fast at the time. The Death Eaters were already closing in on us and Hagrid was attacked a multitude of times on his way to Surrey. I had no way of contacting you, I didn't know you were alive, and the only thing I could think of was using her mothers sacrifice of love to invoke the blood wards."

Conry stomped hard onto the wooden floor. It cracked loudly and was repaired just as fast by a mere swish of the mans hand. "That is not the problem, Albus!" the wolf-man snarled. "It is that you did not even waste a thought of _checking in on her_!" The room shook as Conry screamed his rage against the wall in front of him.

Jane somehow maneuvered around the coffee table and placed a hand on her familir's arm. He calmed down instantly. With a sigh, he finally turned around, his eyes no longer screaming death. "Tell me, young one, why did you not check in on her? It would have taken less than a minute."

Albus formed deeply. "I... saw no need. I knew that Petunia looked fondly upon her niece. She wouldn't harm-"

"I am not talking about her!" Conry snarled heatedly. "I am talking about that swine, that mass of human waste, Vernon!" He was seething, the memories still screaming at him, Jane's pleas for rest, to stop, her whimpers and wails of pain.

If possible, Jane grew even paler, her lips drew into a thin line and her hand fell of Conry's arm. Albus grew cold, very cold and he swallowed dryly.

"What... What has he done?" Albus whispered, fearing the answer more than he had feared Grindelwald's success.

Conry's eyes flashed golden, his pupils so small they weren't even visible anymore. "Oh you will know, you old fool! I will show you!" he snarled and threw the memories at Albus, followed by one enormous push of magic.

Albus Dumbledore crumpled to the floor in a boneless heap, eyes wide and fearful. staring blankly at the ceiling as he was haunted by the sound of Jane's childhood memories.

* * *

"Conry," Jane chastised weakly. She was too place, looked too small besides him, as if she was about to break at any second now.

Ginny took her hand almost hesitantly, careful not to startle her, but Jane grasped her hand tightly and quickly went on to hug her as if it was the last thing to keep her whole. The younger girl wrapped her hands around Jane and looked questioningly at the heavily breathing Conry and then over at the knocked out Dumbledore.

"What did you do to him?" she asked, running her hand up and down Jane's back, drawing soothing circles.

His wild eyes snapped to meet hers and he took a calming breath before answering. "He sees, or more like hears what he has put my mistress through. He will wake any time now."

Nodding slowly, Ginny guided Jane back to sit on the couch. And just as they both sat, Jane still silently clinging to Ginny, Albus Dumbledore shot up and to his feet in under a second, looking around wildly, heaving shuddering breaths. The tears fell from his eyes before he managed to grasp that he was back, not caught in this gray nightmare of screams.

"Gods-" he heaved, his hand grasping blindly for something to hold onto. "Gods, I- What have I-?" He gasped another shuddering breath and his eyes focused on Conry. The unbridled horror on the mans eyes was meet by the ever smouldering anger in Conry's and a spark was lit.

Albus Dumbledore was not an angry person. He was a calm man, guided by his understanding for justice and never letting emotions cloud his judgement. He had accepted casualties in war as in politics, even in his personal affairs for the sake of the greater good. But right now, in face of the overwhelming pain and suffering he had caused for a lonely girl, the righteous wrath of an ancient being, a deep, fire of fury ignited in Albus' heart.

But it was a cold one, an icy wrath that lead him to one singular conclusion.

Vernon Dursley would not be granted the courtesy that so many before him had enjoyed. Albus Dumbledore would not be lenient this time.

" **Dursley!** " he growled in an icy tone. He twisted on the spot, tearing through the wards around The Burrow like a canon ball though paper. They shattered with an almighty crash, so loud that Ginny's ears rang for a second and she missed the moment her parents barraged into the room.

"What in Merlin's name happened!?" Arthur asked, looking around the room, checking if anything was amiss. "Where is Albus?"

Conry exhaled sharply and tried to calm himself once more. "Worry not. Albus is on his way to... clean house, I dare say." He looked apologetically at Arthur. "He tore though your wards on his way. You may want to call your eldest. He is a cruse breaker, no? I will help him rebuild your wards."

While Molly fussed over the children, Arthur could only nod numbly.

* * *

 _"Everyone and everything contributes to magic. When we pass, all that we are and what is left beyond our body, it becomes one with magic._

 _Even after death we align with the magic we lived with._

 _Arthur will be with Emrys for he lived with Emrys. He will be with us for as long as we are with magic. He will be with me."_

 _-Merlin Emrys at the Burial of King Arthur_

* * *

Vernon Dursley sighed in content as he sank into the armchair besides the hearth. The latest paycheck had these sweet extra zeros that stemmed from the, ahem, business he had done overseas. Taxes were a hassle anyways. Petunia had left the house to fetch Dudley from his wrestling club, so he had the house to himself for at least an hour. Maybe it was time to bring out the good brandy?

He opened a cabinet that only he had the key for and pulled one of the four bottles out from within. Ah, he needed a glass, right. He ambled heavily over to the kitchen and passed the calendar. Ah, next month, wouldn't that have been the birthday of that freakish girl? Strange, he almost missed her by now. She would have been ripe for the taking by now, wouldn't she? A shame he hadn't used her before. Well, not really. She was a freak after all. But... she could have served him nonetheless.

He was about to sink into his chair again when the coffee table in front of him exploded into sawdust and the force of it pushed him and his chair over. His heavy backside crushed against the wooden parquet as he shrieked in surprise and fright. He lay on the ground behind his chair, daring to peer over it.

He felt something akin to a seizure take hold of him as he met the eyes of what appeared to be the Grim Reaper in the flesh.

The remnants of the coffee table was burning, the flames had turned an icy blue by whatever unnatural force had caused it to explode. In the middle of these flames, half swallowed by them, stood a man dressed in robes that may at some point have been a dark magenta but appeared to be the color of gore, of coagulated blood. He loomed over Vernon, seemingly standing as tall as the ceiling was low. A long, stark white beard was swaying ominously in the fire's updraft, not even bothered by the flames, and behind half moon glasses were two pools of ice, glowering at him with so much rage and fury, Vernon could feel it be thrown against him.

He lost control over his bladder.

Whimpering incoherently, Vernon tried to crawl away but soon found himself backed against the wall. The man had yet to move or make a noise, just glaring at him with haunted eyes that promised his demise. Then he took a step forward, out of the fire, and the floorboard cracked violently underneath the foot. Out of his robes, the man pulled a stick, a wand, with thin, skeletal fingers. The tip was glowing white, a light so angry and volatile, seemingly feeding off the light in the room. The temperature in the room dropped abruptly, the fire froze in place, icy blue spikes of jagged frozen flames glowed and illuminated the room in a sickeningly cold light that fit the temperature.

"W-Who-?" Vernon attempted, his breath escaping him in small puffs of white steam but he got no other word out. The man lifted his free hand and Vernon was pressed harshly against the wall by an invisible force. Slowly he slid up until he found himself on eye level with the visage of death and damnation.

 **"Dursley!"** it growled like a wild beast, the room vibrating harshly with the sound. **"You fool!"** He pressed the glowing stick into Vernon's fat stomach. It hissed and sizzled but even as the man opened his mouth to scream in agony, no sound escaped him. **"She was an innocent child! A pure soul! How** ** _DARE_** **you!?"**

Albus Dumbledore was beyond furious, pointed his angrily glowing wand directly at the foul man's face. **"I am disgusted! You swine have gone too far! You are beyond redemption! I will not be lenient, not this time! I will not be forgiving! You will not pollute this world anymore, won't harm anymore innocent!"**

Dumbledore's icy blue eyes darkened. They darkened further and further until they were pitch black, causing Vernon Dursley too gaze into an infinite abyss. The wand in Albus' hand, the elder wand, created by Death itself, began to shine in an unholy light, a ghastly white that was void of any color that drew and feed off the light in the room until it was entirely devoid of light.

Vernon Dursley did not have the chance to defend his brutalities. He did not have the chance to cry about his misery, shout about his pain. He peered into the furious mask of Albus Dumbledore before the mans lips formed his final final judgment.

 **"Mors."**

It was a simple word, spoken calmly and controlled. It was an order. Magic would follow it. Magic would lash out and take hold of all that he was, of his very soul. It would not continue on into the next great adventure for Magic would tear it apart, as it was ordered.

And Vernon Dursley ceased to exist in face of the white light that consumed him and all of Privet Drive.

* * *

 **A/N: And he was no more. Next chapter: The Weasley Brothers meet Jane!  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I am sorry to say but I couldn't keep the promise of bringing in the Weasley brothers in this chapter. I just kept writing and writing and it just escalated! Well, I posted more chapters so I suppose it is fine, right?**

 **I set up/will set up a Poll about the house we put Jane in, if not create a new one!**

* * *

He stood there for a while, contemplating what he had done. Albus was no murderer, he would have denied that fiercely. But now? He had erased the being known as Vernon Dursley from this, and every other, plane of existence. At first, Dumbledore had only wanted to punish him. To force him to show guilt and ruefulness. Maybe he should have done that.

He was torn. Torn between guilt and the righteous fury that still chilled his veins. Maybe he shouldn't have peered into the man's mind. Maybe he should have let it be, but he had to confirm what Conry had forced him to hear. Maybe the wolf had lied to him. In fact, Albus had desperately hoped he had.

But, alas, he hadn't.

The images were all the more grueling. He had watched in ever growing disgust how Vernon beat the girl, assaulted her verbally and physically. He had witnessed how he grew _fond_ of Jane's ever growing beauty, despite the malnutrition and lack of daylight. How Vernon had developed the idea to keep her as some sort of pet. For his personal entertainment. How he had _tested_ the waters, grasping at her here and there. Dumbledore grew sick at the memory. Vernon had begun staring at the girl just a few weeks before she was taken from here. How he had stripped her naked and tossed into the shower once, standing there in the doorway, _watching_ , before he eventually left a weeping and terrified girl in the icy water.

Only the fact that Petunia had notice the way Vernon had begun acting around her niece had prevented Jane from being broken entirely.

Albus knew that simply eradicating a man, judging over him like a god, was wrong. Still, this hadn't felt like that, not wrong at all. Vernon had been a vile man, a foul creature, human scum and now the mere thought that he himself had left little Jane here, within the man's grasp without ever wasting a thought on her well-being, made him physically ill. No, he told himself, it was best this way.

The headmaster was sure that Conry could creep into his mind without him noticing. He would have seen, not just heard, what Vernon had done. What he had planned to do. If Albus had left Vernon alive... Conry would have tortured the man into insanity. The wolf was fierce and probably the most protective of the only remaining member of his family. He would kill for her and he would die for her, sacrifice his immortality.

Yes, it was better this way, had been the best choice. Still, Albus felt weak now. Not in magic, but he felt as if he had back stabbed his own values. Maybe he had. But in the same situation, he would do so again without hesitation. Maybe guilt would kill him in time but for now, this was what he had done. He had to.

The house was empty. Dumbledore had vanished, twisting on the spot. The only thing that remained was the frozen blue flame that would forever mark the place where Vernon Dursley had been banished from this world.

* * *

"You need to talk to me?" Conry asked quietly, guiding Jane out back as the Weasleys began setting the table for dinner.

She nodded, staining her ears to hear if Ginny was close by. She could hear her laugh at something her father said. "I... I think I hurt Ginny," she whispered quietly, bowing her head in shame.

"Why would you think that, mistress?" Conry asked, genuinely surprised. How in the world could Jane ever hurt the girl? Even if she launched the entirety of a thunderstorm at Ginny, Jane's magic would refuse to harm her.

Jane shrunk a bit and Conry took her hand and squeezed it. He let go once they were outside and his form shimmered briefly before he stood there as his original form. The girl latched onto his flank and buried her face in his fur. "I... when we were in the bath... I-I lost control a bit and... and touched her while my magic was pouring out of me!" she whimpered, squeezing him tightly.

If Conry remembered correctly, that should have quite the opposite effect. "What happened?" he asked softly, pushing his nose into her side.

Jane exhaled slowly. "She... went all rigid and.. and twitched! I- I don't know what happened and... and she suddenly stared to breath so hard and- and-"

She was most certainly crying when Conry interrupted her. "Mistress," he said firmly. "You didn't hurt her."

Jane calmed down slowly, her breathing stabilizing and eventually she asked quietly, "Really?"

Conry felt the urge to sigh. Maybe elven blood didn't magically make everything right. Jane hadn't had something one could call sex ed. Not ever. And in the time they had traveled, Conry did not have the time to brush up on this. He was busy rebuilding her confidence and teach her about magic and Emrys. It wasn't like he would have to do this this for the first time. Ilia Potter had just about the same problem, with her parents dying to the dragon pox. Conry mentally noted that he still needed to find a cure for that. Back then, he and Ovila (a female wolf. Like a little sister to him, she had been) had taken a day to explain just why her legs got weak when she, elven blood be blamed, watched Leon van Derall try and trim the hedges in the manor garden that would regrow faster than he could cut them.

My, the girl had blushed so brightly it was a wonder her tan returned to normal after that.

He hadn't expected to ever give Jane the Talk, then again, neither had he expected to end up being all alone with her. "Mistress," he said, "We will take the time until dinner to talk about a few things."

"Such as?" Jane asked.

Conry grin was wolfish (what else?). "About why you fell the urge to touch yourself when holding Ginny's hand."

He may have imagined it, but he was sure that there was steam coming from his mistress's head. Oh joy, embarrassing innocent girls. This was exactly what James would have done! And then Lily would have had his hide.

He missed them so much...

* * *

Molly had just put down the last plate when the hearth in the parlor roared loudly to life and the little chime went off, announcing a floo arrival. Ginny skipped out of the kitchen and squealed loudly, "BILL!" It didn't need anything more that that for both Arthur and her to know who had arrived.

"Spitfire!" the oldest Weasley son laughed, lifting his little sister up high and spinning her around as she laughed loudly. "Merlin, did you put on weight?" he joked.

She flipped him the bird. "In all the right places!" she exclaimed triumphantly.

"I'm sure!" Bill laughed, setting her down. "My you have grown so damn much!" He measured her height with his hand atop her head. "Already close to my shoulder!"

"Git!" Ginny hissed playfully, shoving him back.

Arthur smiled upon his children. These two always had been especially close. "Bill," he addressed his son, "Thank you for coming."

His eldest son nodded. "Of course. How couldn't I? The wards have been obliterated. How did that even happen?"

Ginny laughed. "It is quite unbelievable."

"Try me."

"Albus Dumbledore force aparated out of here," Ginny stated.

Bill's eyebrows rose. "You're having me." He turned to his father. "Tell me she's having me."

Molly choose this moment to speak up. "She is not. Is this how you greet your poor mother?"

Bill rolled his eyes but hugged her still, making a point in attempting to twirl her like he had done with Ginny.

"William!" his mother chastisement, "You will _not_!"

He let her down. "Hey, you were the one complaining." Then he smiled. "It's good to be back."

"You will stay for dinner, of course," Molly said, on her way to the kitchen. "Arthur, would you take care of the wards? With these new arrangements, we need them all the more."

Bill frowned. "Arrangements that warrant stronger wards?" he asked is father.

Arthur smiled. "Indeed. And, if you remember what I once told you about our heritage, you will understand."

Eyes widening, Bill stared at his father. "No way."

"Yes way!" Ginny laughed. "Come! You have to meet Jane!" Then she turned serious. "But don't you dare crowd her! I'll chop you to pieces!"

Bill nodded. After Ginny took the lead, he leaned over to his father and whispered, "Who is Jane to get Ginny so protective? Did I miss something?"

Smiling fondly at his upbeat daughter, he said, "No, I think she is just growing up."

* * *

When Ginny walked out into the sun, which was fast approaching the horizon by now, she spotted Jane leaning against her wolf underneath the shade of the old oak. The closer she got the more she could see just how red Jane's cheeks were. Almost glowing with the added light of the sun. Conry looked up when she approached with Bill and Arthur. The oldeest Weasley brother froze on the spot as soon as he saw the giant wolf and how his little sister was fast approaching him.

He whipped his wand out and attempted to cast a shield charm in between them when a glint of gold flashed from the direction of the wolf and Bill could move no more. He was unable to make a sound, not even twitch his wand and watched in horror as his father and Ginny walked up to the beast as if it weren't there. Much to his surprise, he spotted a girl sitting against the beasts flank, hair blood red and eyes hidden underneath black cloth.

Was this Jane? As soon as the thought crossed his mind, the hold on him broke and he nearly fell forwards. A deep voice rumbled over the yard that had him jump a little.

"Indeed, red one. This is Jane, my mistress and since this morning, an ally to the Weasley Clan. Do come and introduce yourself."

Bill blinked owlishly as the wolf spoke. His father turned and said, "Do not lose your manners now, son. Come and introduce yourself."

"I, err, of course," Bill managed and walked mechanically forward, not taking his eyes of the wolf. But the closer he got the more his eyes were drawn to the young woman that sat at the beasts side, chatting quietly with Ginny while blushing entirely new shades of red. She was angelic, he had to admit.

"I ask of you the same I asked of your sister," the wolf rumbled, forcing Bill's eyes back to him. "Do not stare at my mistress. She is quite shy."

The girl squeaked, bloody adorable, and tried to scoot behind Ginny. "I won't, I suppose." He looked closely at the wolf, noted the intelligent golden eyes that studied him. "You... are one of Merlin's wolves," he said finally, his eyes briefly flickering to his father who nodded solemnly. "Wow. I... uh, my name is William, but please do call me Bill."

"Wow indeed, young friend," the wolf chuckled. "My name is Conry, the Grey Hound and eternal servant to the house Potter. I will aid you with reconstructing the wards around this land."

"You will?" Bill asked in surprise.

The wolf nodded his head. "I shall, yes. Though I will only strengthen them. I need you to set them up, key them to your family. I lack the blood to do so."

And while they discussed the precise properties of the ward, Ginny zoned out. She didn't much care for these things and had no idea what all these runs they began talking about did or what they looked like. Instead, Ginny noticed how Jane's hand would move over the grass into her direction and just before reaching her own hand, retreat back. She also noticed that Jane was still redder than red, her face almost glowing in a potentially mortal shade of color that she hadn't known existed. Curious, Ginny took Jane's hand once it was about to retreat again.

Jane squeaked quietly and turned even redder, which, up until then, had appeared absolutely impossible. "Are you okay?" Ginny asked, her voice conveying her worry.

Hasty nodding was all she got as an answer. Jane was just too embarrassed to answer just why she was so flustered. Emrys, what had she done!? Oh, not that she didn't know what (Conry had been quite precise in his choice of words) it was more like she couldn't believe that she had actually- That she brought Ginny to-... Her face was so hot that it began to feel numb. But it was so... so _good_! In hindsight, there had been a moment where she may have blacked out for a second in pleasure. And... if Jane was honest with herself, she felt so damn proud that she had brought Ginny to... such heights, one could say.

Ginny squeezed her hand and scooted a bit closer as she returned to listening to her father. She smiled when Jane leaned against her with a pleased sigh.

"Vacation?" Arthur asked, sitting in a comfortable chair at a table Conry had conjured for them.

Bill, sitting at the same table, sipped at a cup of tea Molly had brought them, nodded as he glanced at his mother. The Weasley matriarch had given up all pretense of preparing dinner. He was still eyeing Conry, the wolf still unsettled him but seeing his sister so close to the wolf eased it a bit. What he realized all the more was how close she was to Jane. And not just any Jane. Jane _Potter_ of all people. And, as it was, Merlin's descendant and the current holder of the title Emrys. The Lady Emrys in her case.

"Yeah," he said, "Apparently, there a ministry regulations that states how many days off I must take in one year. Didn't take any last year, no one told me I had to, mind you, and it seems when I told the goblins I needed to leave they told me to take my vacation. The ministry is putting pressure on them, apparently costs money if they violated that any more. And here I am."

"Why didn't you know you had any?" Ginny asked.

Bill turned to her but it was Conry who answered. "Goblins don't sleep. Much like elves they are magical beings, born from magic, not born with it, and as a result they do not sleep. They have a deep carving for gold and as long as they work with it they stay healthy. They don't take any days off because it would be more harmful than just keep working."

Ginny looked at him shrewdly. "They... live off gold? Really?"

"More or less," Jane answered quietly, "Their magic grows and flourishes when handling gold. It... is a highly magical substance. It can store up to half a normal human's magic per kilo."

Ginny considered herself impressed. Jane apparently knew a lot of things. "Does that mean wood also stores magic like that? For elves I mean?"

Jane gently shook her head. "Not really the wood but the living tree, every plant and animal is saturated in magic and elves can draw from that much like goblins use gold and nymphs use water."

Bill, who was ashamed that he had never even heard of that, found himself asking, "And what of humans? What do humans draw from?"

Conry yawned, displaying razor sharp teeth while looking pointedly at him. Bill took that as a sign not to pursue this question if Jane wouldn't answer. But said girl was content to pretend that only Ginny was there and continued talking to her. "I.. uhm... humans don't really draw from any kind of source you could find here. They draw it through their core out of the plane where magic resides besides our world. Humans were the ones that spread magic after it was given to them, you know?"

Ginny couldn't help but stare at Jane for a moment in silence. That might just have been the most she ever heard the girl talk. "I didn't know that," she said eventually.

"You wouldn't," Conry said, his eyes closed, "It isn't what they will teach you at Hogwarts. They don't tell you were magic comes from or what it is because they don't know. All you will hear from them is that you are a witch because you have a magical core from which you draw magic. That is, in essence, right. But you don't have any magic in your core. It's in your body naturally because you possess the ability to draw on power to do magic." He looked at her. "Whenever you do magic, you pour it out into the world through your core. It carries your will for whatever magic you did and will forever remain in the great whole of magic that has grown ever since it was bestowed upon you."

"Bestowed by who?" Arthur asked. He had put his cup down and was now focusing on listening to him.

Conry gave them all a long, hard look. "That I cannot tell you. It is a secret only known to the wolves and the Lady Emrys."

Ginny raised an eyebrow and looked at Jane. "So... you don't know?" she asked.

Jane didn't respond at first. "I.. I do," she said quietly. "B-But I can't tell you! Please, don't ask me...," she pleaded. She couldn't lie to her. Not if she really asked her.

"I.. I won't. Don't worry," she said quickly, not liking the almost terrified tone in Jane's voice. The girl immediately relaxed again. Ginny wondered why she had asked her specifically. Maybe tonight, when they were alone, she would ask.

Conry averted his eyes from Ginny and looked at Arthur. "Would you call your wife? There are other matters to discuss. Then we take care of the wards."

Arthur nodded shortly and went to fetch Molly. Bill sunk back in his chair and looked up at the sky. Not a cloud was in sight. At least the sun was setting soon and it would cool down a bit. "That is a lot of stuff," he sighed almost to himself. "The Lady Emrys... never thought I'd actually meet her... err, him. Back then I thought it would be a him."

"You haven't met her yet, young Weasley," Conry said.

"Yes, yes," Bill murmured to himself. "An entirely separate person... how does that work?"

Conry glanced at Jane. "It doesn't work easily," he said. "Emrys is a mass of magic that lingers in the greater whole of magic that you draw from with your core. But you can't access it, only contribute. If you work magic in the will and way of Emrys, it gains part of you, of your magic at least. Jane can draw all that out. And if not for that foul swine Dursley, she would have merged with it when she would have been about four. Jane Potter would have been but a child then and the change would have not been notable at all. But Jane was fourteen when I first showed her how to draw on the power. And-"

"-I was scared," Jane interrupted. "It felt as if it was trying to drown me in my own body... Like it- it wanted to push me out. It stopped almost immediately and I could feel it... Emrys, grasping at my soul... she copied my soul and used it to become sentient within me."

"Woah...," Ginny sighed. That sounded... strange.

"But Emrys needs a body that can hold her," Conry continued, seeing as Jane had fallen silent. "This body needs to be physically able to contain all of the power and it's mind needs to be strong enough and work in the will of Emrys, willing to protect life and preserve magic." He sighed. "But mistress didn't want to disappear and neither did I want to loose her, not even for the Lady Emrys. But she is no cruel being. She knew of her avatar's plight and offered to remain separate. And that is how things are now."

Jane nodded, laying her head onto Ginny's shoulder. "You can... talk to her,... if you want."

"Not if it hurts you!" Ginny interrupted vehemently.

It made Jane smile. "It won't if... she doesn't cast any magic. Talking doesn't do any harm..."

"Oh," Ginny made with her mouth, blushing as her brother raised his eyebrows at her with a sly smile.

Bill was about to say something when Arthur returned with Molly. "Here we are," he said, offering his wife the chair.

"What is it?" she asked the wolf.

"It is nothing that will result in your wards shattering again, do not worry," Conry said, looking at Molly.

The woman blushed as the wolf voiced her thoughts but remained silent.

"This is about the Potter family. The members, to be exact. Past members of course, but that is of no concern now." He nudged Jane with is muzzle, making her giggle in surprise before blushing and hiding her face in her hands. "I will make this short. Jane isn't human. At least not completely."

The Weasley's looked at him as if he had grown a second head. Conry shook his head and nudged Jane again. "Mistress, if you please?"

Jane nodded, face still hidden. At first, no one noticed anything, until Ginny gasped softly besides her, staring at her ears. They had grown longer, pointier and now stood a fair bit away from her head and out of her hair.

"She's... an elf?" Arthur asked, awe clearly audible in his voice.

"To about a third," Conry confirmed. "That and there are the genes of mistress Azura. She was an Icelandic Ridgeback."

Bill's eyebrows rose. "That's... a dragon," he deadpanned.

"That she was," the wolf said, grinning, "and like me, she had a human form and fell in love with mistress Aurelia about four hundred years ago. But that isn't all. The Potter family is so colorful in their variety of love interests, it's overwhelming, really. We have had elves, dragons, dryads, one nymph, a succubus, three centaurs- female ones, other way does not work and mostly ended in painful deaths- and mistress Lura, a mermaid."

"Hot damn," Bill whistled. "That's impressive. And... a bit weird."

Ginny glared at him and pulled Jane a little closer. "Is it?" she asked hotly. "If Charlie knew that dragons had human forms our family would be quite colorful in no time at all!"

"Easy there, spitfire," Bill said, raising his hands in defense, "I meant no offense." Ginny just scoffed.

Arthur cleared his throat. "We are not exactly pure humans either, children."

"Really!?" Ginny sounded most excited about his.

Her father laughed while Bill stared wide eyed at him. "Really. The most prominent blood in our veins may be human, but the next is Conry's kind."

"Wolves?" Bill asked slowly, "Really?"

"Really, really, young Wesley," Conry spoke. "You could have met your great great great... wait, uhm, she was... great great great great grandmother if not for the purge. We wolves usually can't die, even if we wanted to." Jane growled softly at him and he lowered his head. "Forgive me, mistress."

"Her name was Ira, if I remember correctly," Artur continued, receiving a nod from Conry. "Then there is the unicorn blood and also dryad-"

"Hold up!" Bill exclaimed. "Unicorn blood!? Seriously? This has to be some sort of joke!"

"I assure you, it is not," Conry said calmly. "The Weasley clan tied a union with the unicorns of the Northern Magical forests not long after Merlin passed on. It enabled them to protect the herd and monopolize the wand makers by trading the finest of unicorn hairs with them. Mind you, William, that most highly magical creatures have a human form, simply because it is easier to move around when humans are just about everywhere on the planet."

Sinking back into his chair, Bill sighed. "Damn... and what does that mean for us?"

"You didn't think your father had this many children simply because of luck, did you?"

"I rest my case."

Ginny giggled. "Does that mean that my wand might be made with unicorn hair?"

"It most certainly won't be," was all she got from Conry.

"What does that mean?!" she whined, missing the knowing smile the wolf sent his mistress, who blushed brightly. Molly was looking shrewdly at her husband. She had known that his family had no purely human heritage, neither had hers for that matter, but she never new of the true extent. But, just as all these years ago, she didn't really care. When she suggested dinner after the wards were established, the chime rang that announced a floo arrival.

Conry's expression morphed into something akin to amusement, if a wolf could make such a face. "The cat's out of the bag, I dare say."

"What?" Ginny asked, not getting what he meant. Not that the other Weasleys understood, they just choose to wait and see.

The door to the kitchen was opened to reveal a very annoyed Minerva McGonagall. Once she spotted them sitting underneath the tree, she stalked over to them. "Excuse my sudden arrival but have any of you-? By Merlin's beard!" she exclaimed once her eyes fell on Conry.

The wolf rolled his eyes. "Maybe I should remain human for the time being." Jane giggled, as did Ginny while Bill shook his head, laughing quietly.

Minerva saw that no one seemed to be in mortal danger from the huge beast and decided to accept that for now. She cleared her throat. "Ah, yes. I was wondering if you had seen Albus somewhere? I was certain he had headed for you, Arthur, so I assumed he would be at the ministry. He is, mind you, not there and I still need him to sign the new curriculum!"

"He was indeed here, Minerva," Arthur said, "But he left rather... sudden."

"What?" the professor asked, "Why would he just leave again and not return to school?"

"He has just obliterated some vermin from the face of the earth," Conry rumbled. "He will be here any second now."

Proving the point, Dumbledore appeared with a loud crack a few feet from them in the direction of the house. He stood still and seemed to be deep in thought. Minerva was not about to grant him his downtime and rounded on him. "Albus! Where have you been! There are-"

But Dumbledore did not listen to her. He had turned around and spotted Jane sitting there under the tree. The images returned to his mind, the screams, the pleading, the blood. He had done this to her. He had doomed her to this life. It was all his fault. And while he eradicated the man that had caused her all this pain, he felt more empty than before.

" _You are right to feel guilty,_ " a voice rang inside his head, making him jump, " _but you take too much guilt. I am just as guilty, so is Sirius, who simply disappeared on us. So is Petunia, who could have taken her from there far earlier. But it is over now. The past is just that. Past._ " Dumbledore met the hard golden eyes of the wolf. " _And as much as Jane still bears the scars. she will overcome them. And we, you and I, we will aid her with everything we have._ "

Ignoring Minerva completely, not even taking notice of her presence, Albus strode mechanically forward and came to a halt a fair distance from Jane, who appeared nervous, fidgeting where she sat. Molly gasped when Albus Dumbledore suddenly fell to his knees, bowing his head to Jane in shame.

"I don't dare and ask for your forgiveness," he lamented, tears in his eyes, "I cannot undo what has happened, no matter how much I wish for it. But I will do everything within my power to aid you, to lend you my strength as long as I have it." He lifted his head, facing her as Jane sat absolutely still. "I swear to you upon my life, my immortal soul and all of my magic that I will move heaven and earth for you if only you asked. So mote it be."

Ginny stared wide eyed at the man. Swearing upon once's soul was something that had serious complications for you if you broke the vow. If you failed to uphold whatever you were stupid enough to swear, your soul would first become brittle, putting your mind into a fragile state, bordering insanity. It rendered you unable to feel anything but pain and took from you your ability to cast magic. If one survived that, it wouldn't matter at all because eventually your soul would leave the body and cease to exist. The next great adventure would not be yours to set out on.

Sucking in a sharp breath and breaking the stunned silence, Molly dared to speak up. "Merlin, Albus! What are you doing?!"

The man didn't get up. He was awaiting Jane's response. Arthur looked worriedly at him, glancing at his oldest son to see that he was absolutely gobsmacked, hearing Albus' vow.

"Your vow has been heeded," Jane said, but, Ginny realized, it was just Jane's mouth that was moving, but not her voice coming from it. The flow of magic changed, Ginny could feel it, her hand still in Jane's. That must mean that Emrys was now speaking. The girl took her hand from hers and removed the blindfold, revealing golden eyes to the world once more.

"My child shall accept, young one," Emrys spoke calmly, "Thou'st will find this vow hard to uphold. Thine soul is not something to gamble away so freely. Lest you wish to take back your words, I shall bind thy magic and construct the contract. Is this what thou wishes?"

"I do," he answered immediately. "My soul will serve, my magic will aid, even if my body breaks. So mote it be."

"So mote it be," Emrys confirmed after a short pause. The air briefly vibrated, thrumming with magic as the vow was settled.

Jane's facial features softened, she hunched a bit forward and before you knew it, Emrys was gone. Ginny took her hand as soon as Jane had tied the blindfold in place again.

"Have you lost your mind?" Minerva questioned loudly, approaching the man as he was getting up with the help of Bill.

Albus shook his head. "No. Sadly, my mind is clearer than it ever was. This was the right thing to do. I would have done so without the vow anyways. This is just to prove my loyalty."

A tense silence settled in the yard. No one dare to speak out of turn but when Minerva finally calmed down enough to realize just whom the vow had been given, her heart ached and soared at the same time.

"You have grown to be so beautiful," she whispered, just loud enough for Jane to hear, "Your mother would have been so proud."

"Thank you," Jane responded quietly, squeezing Ginny's hand, trying to draw support from the contact.

Arthur cleared his throat, Molly had taken to stare in absolute disbelief at the headmaster who was now quietly talking to Bill, so he decided to move this whole thing back to the house. "Well then, I say we return to the house, dinner should be just about ready."

Molly, ever the caring mother, stood up immediately, throwing one last lingering look at Jane and the headmaster. "Yes, yes. Do come inside you lot. Minerva? Why not stay for dinner as well? The more the merrier I say."

* * *

 **A/N: I hope my explanations on what Emrys is aren't too messed up. If they are, do tell me so I can rewrite it.**


	8. Chapter 8

They all ended up inside, Conry mercifully in his human form, in which Minerva recognized him. He explained that he had once returned a very drunken James to the dormitories after he and Sirius got lost wandering the grounds. The dinner table was packed with so much food, it was hard to believe that just an hour prior there had only been one pot of stew and a bowl of mashed potatoes. Jane was seated right besides Ginny at the end of the table (how else could it be?) while they, Ginny more so than Jane, talked to Bill about the wards they would put up after dinner. Conry sat with Albus right besides Jane, an awkward silence between them, Minerva was still glaring balefully at Albus for abandoning her and Arthur and Molly were planning how to go about fetching their boys form the train station.

Ginny offered Jane some of the sausages but the girl declined politely. "No meat?" Ginny asked.

"Mhm," Jane nodded shyly, "it's just... I couldn't eat something I can have a conversation with."

"Huh," was all Ginny could answer.

"I'd imagine it to be... uncomfortable," Bill added, looking dubiously at the sausages on his plate.

Seeing as the end of June was approaching steadily, Arthur had to take the day off that the train would arrive in King's Cross. Last year, he hadn't managed and even though Molly could drive the car, it was still a disaster and apparently a traumatic experience for Percy. They had to strap him into the seat by force this year. To save anymore of his children from such trauma, he would take what was left of his unscheduled days off and drive himself. Better safe than sorry.

"You wouldn't need to," Conry told him, "I am quite able to drive a car."

Arthur looked questioningly at him. "Really? I mean... you are... old and I... wouldn't expect you to."

The wolf huffed. "I take offense to that. The Potters always kept close contact to the non magical world. In fact, I drove on of the first cars that made it onto the isles. Master Graham was ecstatic. Sadly, he was a very bad driver."

Jane giggled. "He always drives to carefully when I'm inside. Other cars honked at him all the time." Once she felt everyone's eyes on her, she blushed and shrunk into her chair.

Ginny took her hand. "I can imagine that. Him driving just a tad bit faster than normal people would walk."

Conry growled at her but couldn't say anything against it. It was true, after all.

Arthur smiled. "I appreciate the offer but I would enjoy picking them up. It has been quite some time since I last saw them."

"I hope Ronald didn't grow too much. New robes would be quite costly," Molly spoke, nursing her tea.

"Then I am sorry to inform you," Minerva said, "that he has gained almost a full head."

Molly sighed, but smiled still. "They grow up so quickly." She glanced at Ginny, who was quietly telling Jane about her brothers, still holding her hand. "So, so quickly," she almost whispered to herself. As Arthur interrogated Conry about the cars he drove, she caught Albus smiling as he watched the two girl. Maybe he, too, understood.

* * *

She was going to sleep in her room, Ginny realized. They would be alone again. Not that she had anything against that, it was just that Ginny was unsure how it would play out. Jane was so much _bolder_ when they were alone and... there was some sort of anticipation Ginny couldn't explain. There was only one bed and no one seemed to feel like that was a problem, so no one conjured them a second bed, not even Jane, who could have easily done so, Ginny was sure of it.

And while the headmaster, Bill and her father with the help of Conry reconstructed the wards, Ginny found herself ushered up into her room, Jane in tow. Where usually Molly would kiss her goodnight and tuck her in (something that very much annoyed her) she now just closed the door behind Jane without so much as a sound. Ginny was left staring at the door for a second before the fact that she was now completely alone with Jane. No one would come in here. Unless... there was _noise_.

She inhaled, trying to calm herself. Jane, erstwhile shy and quiet, was throwing her clothes, well Ginny's clothes, off herself with a vengeance. The fact that she kept her knickers on was almost surprising. And... cute. There was a teddy on the back. A red one. Otherwise it might have been enticing but that bear? Ginny snorted.

"Hm?" Jane hummed, spinning to face her. Her hair was, curiously enough, covering all that had to be covered and all that Ginny could see was the pink heart that now rested atop the girl's crotch. It had a smiley face, sunglasses and everything and Ginny couldn't help but giggle. "Something wrong?" Jane asked, stepping closer.

And suddenly, Ginny was reminded of just how small her room was.

She could feel the warmth of Jane radiate against her skin, feel the calm breaths she took tickle her face. "No," Ginny responded breathlessly, "nothing's wrong."

An easy smile graced Jane's lips. The transformation was almost disconcerting but maybe this was what Jane was like without all the shyness. Ginny shivered when Jane's soft, long fingers found her arm, slowly gliding up until they reached the sleeve of her shirt. "A bit hot, isn't it?" Jane whispered, tugging at the fabric and Ginny found that the temperature was indeed steadily increasing. Most of her arm felt like it was on fire.

"A-A bit, yes," Ginny stammered.

Jane simply smiled again and backed off a bit. Sliding her feet over the carpet she moved forward until she lightly came into contact with the bed. "I suppose there is only one bed?" she asked, feeling the fabric of the duvet with her hand, bent over the bed as she was. Her legs were so _long_ , Ginny noted.

"Only one," she said, getting closer to it, hesitantly slipping out of her shirt. She felt self-conscious all of sudden. Once she had gotten rid of her pants, a nightshirt was quickly covering her down to her thighs.

"So where will I sleep?"

Apparently, Jane was not one to take things for granted. "The bed," Ginny answered. Where else? After all, it wasn't like she had dragged some guy in here to sleep in her bed. The thought had never crossed her mind. It was just Jane. Yeah... just Jane.

"The bed, of course."

Now not even the teddy bear and the sun glasses smiley could make this cute as Jane leaned forward onto the bed, balancing on her knees and hands as she arched her back. She created a curve that Ginny found herself wishing to trace. There, along the spine. It also became apparent that Jane's hips were quite... uh, wide. Up until this moment, Ginny could have drunk veritaserum and claimed to never have looked at anyone's butt for the sole reason of looking at it. Up until now, that is.

Taking a deep breath, she composed herself to slide under the duvet just as Jane was. But she found herself staring again. Jane's hair were now no longer covering her up. Swallowing thickly, she averted her eyes. What the hell was she doing!? Like some... some pervert, staring and ogling. A blind girl of all things!

"Can I place my blindfold somewhere?" she heard Jane ask and focused back on reality, which was no less distracting than the fantasy.

She took the cloth Jane was holding. "Of course," she said, "I'll put it just besides your side of the bed."

And as she leaned over to place it just there, a scent tickled her nose which she inhaled maybe a bit too deeply to go unnoticed. Apples and Strawberries. It was her own shampoo and yet smelled so differently.

There was a sudden brush of hot air against her ear as Jane whispered, "It smells nice, doesn't it?"

With her face burning hot, Ginny merely agreed with a meek "Mhm," but remained perched over Jane. The curiosity of what Jane would do was just too much. Would she... do something? And more importantly... _what_ would she do?

She held her breath when Jane's hand rested atop her cheek. "Is something the matter?" she whispered, her other hand snaking around her body, pulling her down into her.

Ginny was in a haze now, warm and comforting. This was nice, she told herself and rested her head on Jane's shoulder. "No," she replied sleepily, "just fine..."

And not a minute later, Ginny was asleep, lying comfortably on Jane's warm body.

For the longest time, Jane didn't move. This was indeed just fine and for once, her blood didn't carve _more_. So she pulled Ginny closer relishing her sweet scent, her soft skin and the sound of her rhythmic breathing. If only it could always be like that. But Jane knew that eventually, her destiny would reveal itself. She would reveal herself to the world. And then... maybe Ginny wouldn't want to be with her. Goodness, Ginny wasn't with her, didn't even know that Jane loved her from within the endless depths of her soul to the unreachable heights of the sky. Could she even tell her?

One day, maybe, she decided. One day. Just not today. Maybe tomorrow.

And like that, Jane fell asleep, just as the ward around the Burrow sprung to live in a vivid blue.

* * *

She found the wolf in the garden, underneath the oak. He always was there, Ginny realized, and was for once without his mistress. Jane was still asleep in her bed and with luck, she had time to ask what she needed to know of the wolf.

"Red one," he greeted, not lifting his head from his paws, "What would you ask me?"

Ginny stopped a few feet away from him. "I... uh, wanted to know... what you would... What I could... gift Jane for her birthday?"

Now he did lift his head, probably grinning, Ginny decided. "You would make her happy with just about everything, red one."

"But it don't want to give her just anything!" Ginny retorted, "Something she'd like! Or at least, appreciate!"

Conry huffed. "The last birthday she spent with her aunt, she had hoped for a pair of new socks. So if you give her what she could find practical, that shall suffice."

"I won't gift her socks!"

"Then don't," the wolf replied calmly. "As long as you gift her at all, she will be more than happy. My mistress is not fond of material possessions. She always had little, always requires little. Gift her a necklace, she will be sad to not see it. Gift her money, she won't need it. Gift her flowers, she can't even see them bloom." He rose to his feet. "Know this, my last gift to her was that swimming outfit she wore. The one I gave her before that was a pair of gloves. Don't overthink this, red one. Keep it simply." With that he returned to the house, just as Jane opened the door.

Her hair was a mess but she smiled as soon as Conry nuzzled her hand. Her hair must have lost half it's length only because of how tousled it was and the shirt she had thrown on was riding up over her navel.

And Ginny found herself staring again. Bill, who had just walked out behind Jane, caught her eye and raised an eyebrow. He looked from her to Jane and back again. His smirk had her blush bright red and she quickly decided to walk back inside another way. Preferably one that wouldn't lead her past her brother.

Breakfast was rather quiet, only Bill and Conry were talking about wards and ever so often her father would add his two cents. Ginny and Jane had already left the table, the Weasley girl had found out that her new friend could play chess. Because the wizarding version could be verbally intoned and Jane assured her that she could remember whatever move she made, they decided to play.

Out of twelve games, Ginny lost every single one. Not even Ron had beaten her so thoroughly yet.

"You are just too good at this," Ginny admitted, reclining in her chair with a defeated sigh.

Jane, predictably, blushed and squirmed in her chair. "I-I guess," she relented quietly. "Conry taught me."

Ginny sat upright again. "Yes, yes, he taught you for nearly three years now, right?" she asked. As Jane nodded, she continued, "And what did he teach you?"

"A-A lot of things...," she said. "At first... how to control my magic and then he taught me how to hide my ears. They... they just got like that... once I actually... used magic." The fingers of her right hand traced her ear and Ginny wondered if it was just as soft as the rest of her. "He told me about my parents and... about Merlin... Morgana and Emrys. He taught me... how to use spells and... how to do magic... without them. We visited... the elves so I could learn... from them to draw on the magic... of the forest."

They sat there for over an hour. Jane had learned a lot of things, Ginny realized. She herself had been more or less home schooled or visited the muggle school. Thinking about muggles...

"Jane?" she asked after a beat of silence, "Why don't you use the word muggle?"

"Because," she answered slowly but surprisingly strong, "It came from an insult. It implies that they are lesser, that magicals are better. Magic was given to protect life, to protect those who can't protect themselves. Magic exists in the very first place to protect those who don't have it. Emrys' sole point of existence is to preserve life, magical or no." Jane put a hand against her left eye. "There is a saying, you know. _Noblesse Oblige,_ it was my family's motto and the foundation Merlin used to create our society."

Ginny was ashamed to admit that she had never heard it. But Jane just gently shook her head.

"It was lost in time," she explained, her voice no longer restraint or meek, "Merlin decided that power couldn't be with just one family so they withdrew from the newly formed ministry almost as soon as it was formed, leaving the power with the masses." She frowned lightly. "Maybe... they were wrong. _Noblesse Oblige_ is the obligation those with power have to use it for those without it. Well, that is our interpretation. It has to do something with royalty but I think it applies still."

"You mean... that the fact that we have magic... gives us this responsibility to... to use it for those who don't?" Ginny asked uncertainly.

Jane smiled. "I do. That is what I believe. It is what my father and all others before him believed. But the ministry has long since forgotten these ways," Jane finished sadly.

Bill entered the room at that point and Ginny could see Jane shrink a little into herself. Frowning, she stood and took the girl's hand, leading her over to the couch where they could sit together. She liked Jane a whole lot better when she could speak up.

"Got yourself beaten in chess, eh little spitfire?" Bill asked, smiling wickedly.

"As a matter of fact, yes, I lost," Ginny told him.

Her brother chuckled. "Conry told us that Jane here is a little mastermind when it comes to chess."

Said girl blushed but smiled still. Her smile was beautiful, Ginny noticed. Her lips looked so... soft. So...- Taking a deep breath, Ginny averted her eyes but caught Bill's instead. He smiled almost encouragingly and Ginny found herself blushing madly. By the time her mother brought tea and some biscuits, Ginny had managed to reign in her blood circulation to a point where her cheeks looked healthy, but not flushed. Still, Bill was eyeing her and Jane strangely and it threatened to bring the heat back to her face. Hiding it in her mug, she cursed him while her mother quietly talked to Jane. Little steps, it seemed.

* * *

Arthur was looking pensively at Conry, sitting across the table from him. Albus was nursing a cup of tea to his left and Minerva was absently cleaning the lenses of her glasses to Conry's right. He knew elves were special. Magic and all that but... hearing of Jane's almost absolute attachment to his daughter... Arthur was a bit put off.

"I understand your turmoil," Conry said as the silence continued, "but you should also understand that it would come this way even without Jane's heritage."

Minerva put her glasses back on. "So she is... bound to Ginevra? Is that it?" the professor asked.

Conry nodded. "My mistress's magic is drawn to Ginny and will never find reason to leave. While she does not know your daughter like one would know a lover, she knows that there is no one she could ever love aside from her. Elves always had that ability." He sighed. "She is trying her hardest to restrain herself and not frighten her, but the pull is powerful. James utterly failed to control himself. Mistress Lily thought him a creep until he got a grip."

Minerva smiled. "That she did. Dumped her pumpkin juice on him more than once." Even Albus managed a smile.

Arthur contemplated taking a sip of his tea but ultimately let the cup rest. "She.. has to hold back from... doing what exactly?" he asked carefully.

"From loving your daughter, red one," Conry responded briskly. "My mistress is trying to keep her hands to herself, to not love her until she knew nothing else. It is an age old instinct that beckons her to join body where magic is already in unity."

His lips drawing into a thin line, he asked, "She.. Jane, she wouldn't...?"

"Careful what you instigate," Conry growled. "Jane is not capable of hurting her. In no way whatsoever! She'd rather die, I'm afraid. But even that is impossible."

Exhaling sharply, Arthur grabbed his tea and downed it in one. "No.. no she wouldn't. I'm sorry for implying such things." Conry didn't respond.

Albus cleared his throat. "Yes, about that. You say Miss Potter is... immortal. Is she truly?"

"She is," Conry confirmed, "and she will be as long as Emrys needs her here."

"Is that how she survived the curse?" Minerva asked, frowning into her tea.

Conry whimpered almost inaudibly, the memory still burned into his mind. "No... mistress Lily's... sacrifice was what protected her." He paused. "Mistress Jane has been immortal from the point on she connected to Emrys."

"How immortal is she _exactly_?" Albus asked carefully. "I mean... is she invincible as well?"

The wolf looked at Albus with cool eyes. "She is not," he answered eventually. "Her body may perish beyond repair but Emrys will bring her back, rebuild what has been destroyed and return the soul to the body. She still feels the pain of death but shall never experience it. It had been the same to Merlin." Silence hung in the kitchen as they pondered upon this information but Conry wouldn't let them rest on it. "Let us talk about more immediate things. Mistress's destiny."

Albus looked up from the biscuit he had been scrutinizing. "Yes. Of course. Now what is this destiny exactly?"

"You can safely assume that Riddle is part of it," Conry growled. Albus paled considerably.

"So he yet lives...," he whispered to himself. "It is as I feared." Even after the possessed Quirrell, he had hoped that it wasn't how it seemed but...

"Indeed," Conry agreed. "Though living is a broad term for his body-less state. The evils he has called upon use him... much like Emrys uses Jane, but for a far more nefarious purpose."

"And there are more?" Minerva asked, eyes wide and fearful.

Conry nodded shortly. "Merlin defeated a total of twelve evils and banished them back to the greater whole. It was only a matter of time before they would return. That is what Emrys is here for."

"So there a thirteenth now?" Arthur dared to ask, paling at the thought of twelve more evils like he-who-must-not-be-named.

"There may be many more," Conry confessed bluntly. "Evil men do evil things, the worse they are the stronger is the impact they have in the greater whole. Powers accumulate that can be called upon. The more they contribute to the evil, the stronger it grows and will eventually develop a will that can be carried inside a single vessel. Such a vessel is Riddle."

Minerva almost whimpered as Albus and Arthur sighed tiredly. The future did not look bright at all. And it all came down to Jane to stop whatever was coming for them.

* * *

A rhythm settled in at the Burrow following week since Jane arrived. Ginny was sitting though the lessons Conry would ever so often have for Jane, most of it about the different races and their magic. How centaurs drew strength from aligned planets and stuff like that. She was also introduce to wandless magic, which was harder than she could ever have imagined but Jane seemed all too happy to guide her by the hand on how to draw magic through your core and shaped it with raw willpower. Up until now, she made no visible progress but Jane assured her that she could feel how she already managed to draw magic. It was only a matter of time.

Bill would also attend these lessons from time to time. Apparently Conry was a wellspring of knowledge and whenever they brushed upon wards, like those constructed using trees imbued with magic, Bill was sitting with them, writing and scribbling in a notebook. Ginny always knew her brothers were all obsessed with something, but she had always somehow excluded Bill. Well, no longer. He was clearly obsessed with wards.

Conry was proud to note that Jane could now hold entire conversations with Molly, even though they were quiet and soft spoken. The girl pushed herself to achieve the same with Arthur and Bill but could not talk to them without eventually shrinking in on herself and hiding in her own arms. Both Arthur and Bill were quite understanding and made an effort not to crowd the girl.

Jane was ecstatic to note that sleeping in the same bed with Ginny was now not the slightest bit awkward. For her, at least. Ginny on the other hand still wondered why she felt so hot to touch and why she would touch her in the first place and... feel all warm and tingly. Maybe, Jane mused, she should tell her about the elven blood. That could either make it easier or far more complicated. For now, Jane was content with enjoying this... closeness they had. But only for now...

There had been a day or two where Ginny left to do some shopping in the village and Jane found herself somewhat alone. She had grown so accustomed to the girl's presence and touch in just a over a week that she holed up in bed for most of the day until Ginny returned. Both Arthur and Conry were initially worried. It was almost like some sort of withdrawal and the wolf had to admit that he had never observed a reaction so severe. Jane revealed to him that she feared that Ginny wanted some space or felt crowded by her.

So, after much questioning, Conry had to let it slip that Ginny was merely trying to buy a gift for her birthday. In hindsight, he should have done so to begin with. Jane was floating all throughout the house that day, drifting through the furnishing with an ease that belied her lack of sight. Ginny found herself, after returning, enveloped in many random hugs and the oh so occasional peck on the cheek. The Weasley girl's body temperature was at a permanent high that day.

It was a few days shy off the summer holiday and the inevitable return of the Weasley brothers that were stewing at Hogwarts, that Luna visited the Burrow.

* * *

Molly had quickly figured out that it put Jane at ease to have some sort of routine. She would help in the kitchen (which had initially been a huge surprise but after she got a hang of where everything was it worked surprisingly well) and talk the garden gnomes into submission and had them promise to stay of the lawn. She would do the laundry with her (and magically folded it all away while Ginny was allowed to practice her wandless magic drying the sheets) and tell her stories of things her aunt used to do with her.

It was obvious that she missed the woman dearly, so Molly decided to ask Albus if she could be present at the girl's birthday. The man promised to talk to Petunia, as he was still in contact with her after... well, doing what he had with her ex-husband.

Luna, as flighty as ever, more or less floated into the kitchen one afternoon, just when Jane was humming to herself while chopping some vegetables. Conry, who was lying with his head on his front paws underneath the kitchen table (barely even fitting under it) glanced briefly at the ashen haired girl. He almost jumped when her silver eyes met his. She waved as if his presence was perfectly normal and skipped over to stand a respectable distance from Jane.

"Hello," she greeted in a sing sang voice.

Jane nearly chopped off her left ring finger in fright. She did however remain standing where she was and hesitantly turned to the unexpected guest. "H-Hello," she said quietly. Then, as the initial shock wore off, she dropped the knife entirely.

Standing not a foot from her was-

"A Lilith." Conry was now standing at her side, human in form but no less astonished than Jane was.

Luna tilted her head and merely smiled. Jane uncertainly stepped closer to Conry and grasped his arm. "I... thought they were... extinct!" she whispered to him.

"It seems we have been fooled," the wolf contemplated before holding his hand out to the girl. "You must be Luna. I am Conry and this is my mistress Jane."

"I am ever so pleased!" Luna giggled, "Did you know that you glow?" she asked of Jane while enthusiastically shaking Conry's hand.

Jane swallowed but smiled. "Yes," she answered a little louder then before. "As do you." Not that she could see, of course. She felt it still, the glow of Luna's magic upon her skin.

It was then that Molly entered the kitchen with a basket full of vegetables from the garden. "Oh Luna, dear!" she happily exclaimed. "Are you here for Ginny? Will you stay for dinner?"

And as Luna was drawn away by Mrs. Weasley, Conry could only shake his head. "A Lilith," he found himself repeating. "I didn't think one survived Mordred's madness."

"Maybe they didn't," Jane mused quietly, "A Lilith can be born naturally after all."

Conry gently shook his head. "She feels familiar. Her magic, pure as it is, I have felt it before."

"A reincarnation?" Jane suggested.

"Unlikely. Actually, its impossible. Once someone dies, they are one piece of the greater whole and could not possibly be taken from it again."

Jane squeezed his arm. "Then one must have survived."

"I... am sorry, mistress but that should be impossible," Conry told her sadly, "I buried them all myself."

"Then she is naturally born," Jane concluded softly and returned to her work after some fumbling for the knife she dropped.

Conry stared out of the kitchen though the door that led to the parlor where the ashen haired girl was knotting the greens of a few carrots together. "It is another sign," he rumbled to himself. "Whatever awaits us... it is supremely evil. If a Lilith is born... Emrys help us all."

* * *

 _"One second is all I need."_

 _"Then we will give you an eternity."_

 _-Muriel, a Lilith, to Merlin a minute before she died._

* * *

A Lilith was... well, many had an opinion on that. The mother of creation in some religions, a female demon in some mythologies and the stuff of legends in the occasional epic. But to Conry, he who had lived to see them rise and fall, he knew that they were spirits, pure in nature and incredibly powerful. They were natural empaths, held an uncanny visual prowess and had one crucial ability that made them so incredibly dangerous.

Their almost natural ability to control time.

If not taught, they might never find it, but if... Oh, Conry had a lot of crazy memories on that. It was a Lilith that created the first time turner, from her own ribs, no less. It was a Lilith that had allowed Merlin to gain the "Infinite Second" he needed to banish the evil that Mordred had become absorbed in. It was a Lilith that had kept Arthur frozen in time so that Merlin could save his live.

And it were the Liliths that Mordred cursed to death with his dying breath.

The Liliths had a purpose in the world, much like the wolves and Emrys, to keep magic safe and protect life. And the Liliths were much the opposite of the evil that had befallen Mordred and had been called to life solely because of that. For Conry, this discovery meant that this foul thing, this evil magic that had nearly destroyed Emrys, would most likely return. It was not a pretty thought.

Now it was of utmost importance to find it.

Merlin's legacy.

* * *

James himself had joked that Jane would be the one to find the remaining pieces of the library that was hidden in the bowels of Camelot and now it seemed like it would become necessary. Merlin had always been a secretive man. He nearly managed to get married without the wolves even noticing and that was an incredible feat in itself. And just like he had hidden Vivien from them, he had hidden whatever he did in his library from them. There was a complex spell on the room, a spell that was missing it's pieces to be activated. The wolves knew the missing pieces all too well but knew not where they had been hidden or why they were hidden in the first place but they knew that Merlin had something planned. He had left something behind for them to find when the time was right. His legacy, whatever it was.

The library was a huge circular room with Camelot's ward crystal in the very center. Surrounding this crystal were a number of pedestals that displayed ancient artifacts and important items that Merlin had accumulated in his long life. Just to name a few, there was the horn of the first dragon, Abraxas, who fell to Mordred's magic, there was of course the Sword Excalibur, forged by Merlin and Vivien to aid King Arthur in his quest to bring peace to Britain. There was also the wedding band Morgana had made for Vivien and the ring Vivien made for Merlin. Both had been missing. Merlin's staff, forged in the fire of an ancient dragon out of the hardest wood and metal they could find to create a pitch black staff with an emerald embedded in it's crown, had also gone missing.

In theory, if all the magical objects were returned to their place, Camelot's wardcrystal would unleash something terribly powerful. What exactly, not even Lyon could discern, but it apparently aligned with Emry's magic which meant that it was not harmful in the first place. It was probably some sort of emergency plan that Merlin had put in place before he left and would aid Jane in her coming battles. Hopefully, they would find it soon, the wolves had already rounded the world thrice in search of the staff but had yet to find it. After the purge, their activity was as good as voided. Conry was forced to hide away as much as possible after he was believed dead and Ciel had to do the same.

Well, now there was only Merlin's ring and his staff left to find. How hard could it possibly be?

Conry would soon regret ever thinking that.

* * *

"-and now daddy is out investigating," Luna said to Ginny as they sat on the couch, "A new article should be published in the next issue. And when I go to Hogwarts, he promised I could write as well."

"That's great!" Ginny told her sincerely, "Will you go on your own expeditions then?"

Luna laughed loudly, overbearingly and nearly fell off the couch in the process. Conry peered into the room with a raised eyebrow but Molly, sitting across from the two girls with a big pot of potatoes that peeled themselves, just waved him off. That was just how Luna was.

"Oh no, silly," she said, still giggling, "I'm going to be at school! I can't leave for an expedition there."

Ginny shrugged. "I'm sure you could have one at school."

Luna beamed at her, eyes so wide one you'd start to worry about them falling out of their sockets. "You're right! I have to tell daddy when he comes back!"

"You do that," Ginny agreed, smiling at her giddy friend. Her smile grew just the tiniest bit wider when Jane ambled into the room with that cane of hers, Conry just a step behind her. Luna had evidently noticed and turned around.

"She's still glowing," she whispered so quietly that Ginny almost didn't hear it.

"Glowing?" she asked.

As Jane settled down besides Ginny, close enough that their legs touched, Conry peered curiously at Luna. "Aye," he said, still looking at her, "to those who can see, mistress glows like the sun."

"See what?" Ginny asked, now looking at Jane to see if she had missed anything. But her eyes found other things and lingered on her chest instead. She felt her face grow hot and looked away.

"Magic," Luna breathed, her wide eyes now focused on Jane as if she were a delicious piece of cake, pupils dilated. "It's beautiful."

That did confirm every suspicion that Luna was indeed a Lilith, gifted with sight no other held. Well, aside from the wolves that is. Jane would have also had it, but... well, her eyes were without light.

Then Luna's eyes seemed to focus in on reality, her pupils returned to normal and she took in Ginny and the way Jane was almost sitting in her lap. She smiled. "I told you so," she mouthed and Ginny blushed furiously but didn't dare move away.

The smug expression Luna bore to display did nothing short of driving Ginny spare. Ever so often, Luna would look at her and mouth "I told you so," again and tip her head in Jane's direction. Conry was highly amused and even Molly found herself smiling a little.

* * *

 _"I always have a plan, dear wolf, never doubt that."_

 _-Merlin, hours before he vanished the entirety of Camelot castle and stopping Mordred from dropping a meteor on it._

 _You'd imagine how pissed King Arthur was until Merlin returned it. "Could have warned me!" he complained for the following week._

* * *

 **A/N: By the way, it has been decided that I will stick pretty close to canon so there will be a basilisk slithering and a diary being evil.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:Okay, let's go!**

 **Gin110881: Of course Dumbledore is kind of useless now (Conry is basically voiding his existence in terms of importance) but I had him take this vow for more than just the sake of it. He will proof his worth and put his life on the line for Jane. I have a whole lot of awesome stuff for him and Fawkes! I am almost, but only almost, sorry to say that I don't write harem stuff, even if Luna/Ginny/Jane would be some kind of fluffy overdose... and... steamy. I don't think I could get the emotional part right. It _could_ turn out this way if Ginny would somehow develop feelings for Luna. It would kill Jane inside but she would accept it to stay with Ginny. As I said, one-sided soul bond.**

 **TheWateringWizard: Luna is, alongside two others, one of the more prominent characters that will have their own POV moments in this story. And... by the way, could it be that you read most of my stories? I feel like I have seen a review at almost all of them. Thanks for that!**

 **We gettin' steamy here. You have been warned!**

* * *

The day had arrived at which summer holidays would begin and Jane had never witnessed such a humongous amount of hectic before.

They had been sleeping in, Ginny and her, because... well, it was very comfy in the bed. Even though Ginny would always fall asleep besides her they would wake up as a tangled mess of limbs, which, Jane was sure, was mostly her own fault, seeing as one of her hands always slipped under Ginny's shirt. No exceptions. Because Ginny was a terrible morning person, she refused to get up whenever Jane tried to and just pulled the girl back with a demand for warmth. Well, Jane would have been the last person on the planet to deny her that wish.

That particular morning, this had resulted in them staying in bed for about two and a half hours longer than originally planned.

So they were almost rudely woken by Mrs. Weasley breaking down their door. "Come on girls!" she said, barely containing her hectic anxiety to be late, "We leave in an hour!"

The door had already closed when Ginny lifted her head out of the crook of Jane's neck and mumbled, "Whazzat?"

"It's time to get up," Jane more or less purred into Ginny's ear, one leg wedged between her thighs and a hand hot against her stomach.

Steadily for about seven seconds, Ginny's face grew hotter and hotter until she almost jumped out of bed and onto legs that felt a bit weak. The blanket had been thrown of the bed entirely and revealed the mostly naked Jane. Ginny's eyes lingered and her heart beat thrice as fast as she felt it healthy so she quickly shouted, "I-I'll take a shower!" and bolted out of the room.

She almost collided with the bathroom door directly across from her room and, once inside, rested her hands on the sink, trying to control her erratically beating heart. Looking in the mirror, she was almost astonished by the deep shade of red that colored her cheeks and even her chest. What was wrong with her? She threw cold water into her face and hunted through the cabinets for a fluffy towel when the door opened.

Jane had neglected putting on anything more than she had worn in bed, leaving her in a grey nightgown of sorts that was terribly short and Ginny, from her kneeling position on the floor, quickly looked away. The Weasley girl very much doubted that Jane was unable to shower alone. It was almost like she refused to do it without her. As Ginny pulled a second towel out from under the sink and put it into Jane's hands, she wondered why she didn't protest. Even she had to admit that this closeness was... well, not normal. Not to say it was bad! No! She would protest vehemently that it was! And then immediately blush. But even without that much contact to other people, given that she was mostly at home or over at Luna's, she knew that this was not what friends did, shower together and all that. Sure, she had done that with Luna. _When they were nine!_ And now... she was almost _fifteen_!

Her thoughts were interrupted when Jane, already naked, took hold of her forearm and smiled, a smile that drove the heat into Ginny's face and butterflies into her stomach.

Now way. There was just no way that she was attracted to a girl!

Right?

Because, coincidentally, that was exactly what Luna had told her about a year back.

"What do you mean, not the guy kind of girl?" she had asked, almost sounding offended.

Luna had merely shrugged. "You simply aren't, I can tell," she had said, "Just don't ravish me when no one looks."

Molly had not liked explaining the phrase "to ravish someone" to her only daughter but did so anyways because keeping her in the dark about such things was very short sighted and would probably backfire more than help. At least, that's what Arthur had told her. The following week, Ginny couldn't look Luna in the eyes but it went away eventually.

Now, as she stood so close to Jane, she had to admit that the same situation but with some guy would be distinctively uncomfortable, not to say revolting. She had seen her share of guys naked (her brothers, actually) and was not impressed. She'd never forget Ron's expression when she told him just that last summer. He looked at her as if she had just ripped his balls off. In some way, maybe she had.

Damn. She was gay.

That in itself was not really a problem. It was more like the moment was extremely unfitting, as she was about to shower with the most beautiful girl she had ever seen. She swallowed thickly and tried to focus her eyes on Jane's, which she had revealed once more after Ginny dimmed the lights down. But even her eyes were so overwhelmingly beautiful, the thought alone heated her face, it did nothing to distract Ginny from the situation.

Jane was naked not half a foot away from her.

She was now acutely aware of every stray touch, of every breath of Jane that tickled her skin, of every time she caught her eyes wandering.

"Ginny?" She shuddered, almost couldn't hold back the strange noise that had bubbled up in her throat.

"Y-yes?" she asked shakily, not trusting herself with even looking at Jane.

"You are still dressed." It was a fact, yes. But the words from Jane's lips were almost accusing, pleading to change that, begging her to undress.

She felt really hot now, not just her face. Ginny's whole body grew warm but she undressed even so, as quickly as possible. Her head came up after throwing her clothes into a basket under a shelve and was met with this... _womanly_ smile on Jane's lips. She swallowed.

As she stood there, naked as she was, she was almost envious of Jane's so perfectly developed body but... was it envy? Was it really? Ginny didn't much care for things like beauty or fashion. She would have liked to stay slim, sure, but more than that she was fine with her body. So was it really envy? Or was it... something else? A similar longing? Not greed just... She couldn't explain it to herself and it made her uncomfortable.

A subtle wave of Jane's hand turned on the shower and Ginny got in almost mechanically. Jane sighed loudly when the warm water hit her skin and Ginny's heart leapt up to her throat. Her skin flushed almost all over her body because Jane's skin was just _so beautiful_ when wet. It looked almost unreal, like the finest of silk, like white gold. She felt the need to touch it, to feel it under her fingers but didn't. She couldn't just-! No way!

But Jane did seem to have read her mind, placing her soft hand on Ginny's shoulder as she bowed down to search for the shampoo bottle. Her breath tickled her thigh and Ginny gasped quietly, standing absolutely still. A second breath, another jolt. A third, a fourth and when she finally came up with the bottle, Ginny felt weak in the knees.

"I much like the smell of this one," Jane suddenly told her, "It reminds me of you."

"Mhm," she responded, not opening her mouth lest something else would escape her.

Jane smiled again. "Can I wash your hair?"

That didn't sound like the worst idea, given that she would get the chance to turn around and maybe even cool her head against the tiles. "Okay," she said, instantly berating herself for how breathy her voice came out.

So she tuned around and waited. She felt the gooey shampoo on her head first, almost flinching because it was so cold but Jane's hands threaded though her hair not a second later and "cold" was a word that now seemed as unreachable as the sun. Ginny couldn't help but close her eyes, Jane's delicate fingers massaging her scalp was just pure bliss, and sigh in content. She could feel the heat radiating off Jane's body, it felt as if she got a bit closer with every passing second. Or was she leaning back into her? Ginny wasn't sure but when her back was suddenly assaulted by soft, warm skin, she shivered but didn't move away.

One of Jane's hands threaded through the length of her hair, down her back where she brushed her spine almost all the way down to where she was leaning against her chest. Ginny's heart beat faster, her breath almost catching and yet she felt so relaxed. Eventually, Jane's other hand left her head and wrapped around her midsection, pulling her into a hug.

Ginny could feel Jane's lips on her shoulder, her breath hot but calm. She had no idea what to do with her hands. Grasp hers? Push her away? Continue washing her hair? The shower cabin was filled with steam, enough to make breathing a bit harder but when Jane's hand curled against her skin, lightly scrapping her stomach and the other hand brushed the underside of her chest, Ginny stopped breathing altogether.

"Your skin is wonderful," Jane whispered into her neck, just behind her ear. "So wonderfully soft."

As if to prove her point, she let her hands roam and caress Ginny's abdomen and hips. It was almost too much, but only almost. Unconsciously, she was rubbing her thighs against each other, the friction stirring a fire in her stomach. Her eyes closed, Ginny laid her head back onto Jane's shoulder and moaned softly. It felt as if her hands were everywhere, tingling every inch of skin she could reach, all at once, all so perfect, so wonderful.

And when Jane softly kissed the nape of her neck, she felt something beginning to coil inside her. More and more, every touch had the feeling mounting and Ginny wanted more of it, feel all of it, so she turned around abruptly. Jane's eyes were closed, face flushed but her smile was coy and her arms still slung around her body.

"What are you doing to me?" she sighed against her collarbone, almost whimpering.

Jane placed a hand under her chin and pushed her up until her lips were but an inch from hers. "Nothing you don't want," she breathed. And then she waited, not moving, just holding her there.

Ginny swallowed. This... _all this_ was new, was strange, it was so _good_ but Ginny didn't know what to do with it, how to respond. She didn't know what to do about her soaring heart, the heat in the pit of her stomach. She didn't know what to do with herself right now. So she brought her shaky hands up to cup Jane's face and push her back the tiniest bit before putting the smallest of kisses just at the corner of her mouth, just shy of her lips.

Jane opened her eyes, slowly and carefully, and let her lips curve into an easy smile. Ginny was lost staring into the emerald green and didn't notice that Jane backed off a bit. When there was more room to breath, Ginny felt almost cold, and before Jane's hands slid off her body, she caught them in hers. "I... I'm not sure what..." She stopped, not knowing how to say it or what she wanted to say in the first place.

Squeezing her hands, Jane gently shook her head. "Its okay. I'm sorry for... well, overwhelming you like that."

 _Overwhelming indeed,_ Ginny thought wistfully. But she couldn't make heads or tails of any of this stuff, so... "It was... nice. _Good_.. I just... don't know," she said lamely.

Jane giggled. "Take your time. I had help, after all."

"You had?" Ginny couldn't get her head around someone _helping_ Jane with that... it felt so wrong.

"I am more or less an elf," Jane answered hesitantly, one hand absently tracing one of her elongated ears, "This... _stuff_ is easier for me, I suppose."

Ginny breathed a sigh of relief, it seemed that things had returned to normal. Well, they were still naked and her body was still tingly but, well... more normal. "Teach me?" she asked the older girl innocently.

Jane was apparently restraining herself from moving and Ginny wondered if she had said something funny. "If you want," she whispered, voice husky and breath hot against her skin.

Ginny swallowed thickly. She did want her to... to- She couldn't describe it. To feel her, to.. _touch_ her. But... more. "I do," she returned breathlessly. "You can tell me anything, you know?" she added as an afterthought. Jane seemed to restrain herself, after all. Maybe talking could help.

"I will," Jane promised, "But I know that your mother is already waiting for us." A wave of her hand made the current time appear in bold black letters, floating in the steamy air. It was almost ten.

"Bugger!" Ginny cursed. "We need to hurry-" She was about to reach for the towels when Jane pulled her back and her lips were pressed against the corner of her mouth, just like she had done before.

"A thank you," Jane whispered softly.

And Ginny found that she quite liked the feeling of Jane's lips on her skin, that it left a tingling sensation wherever they touched, be it her skin or her own lips. Luna must have been right.

She was just not he guy kind of girl. Maybe she was just the Jane kind of girl.

* * *

"Come now girls!" Molly urged as they came down the stairs, "The train will be at the station in an hour!"

The fact that they walked closer together than before was not lost to the Weasley matriarch but she supposed that it was fine. If Conry was telling the truth about how this elven magic worked, then there was no one better for her daughter than Jane. The only thing she would mourn was the lack of grandchildren but she had six boys that could make up for that.

And if she had to lock them in a cupboard with a woman!

...

Unless they were gay too...

...

Molly was beginning to have an existential crisis.

Ginny was yet ignorant of the nature of Jane's affection. They had decided to let Jane reveal the secret at a time she would choose herself. It was better this way. She wouldn't feel forced (though it was nothing of that sorts, Conry insisted) and Jane could muster the courage to, well, reveal everything (even though there wasn't much to reveal, Jane was quite obvious about her affections). Molly just accepted it as was it was and Arthur was happy that his daughter had found the right... girl. Or that the right girl had found her. Either way, he was happy with it.

"Coming!" Ginny shouted towards the door, Molly did not doubt that she rolled her eyes as well.

Conry was standing over the opened hood of the old Ford Anglia, explaining to Arthur how the alternator of the car worked.

"Fascinating," Arthur mumbled, scribbling something into a small piece of parchment he promptly banished to his shed where it startled Bill, who was fiddling with a small wardcrystal Conry had given him. He would remain behind and surprise his brothers when they returned.

"Those without magic have done many great things, invented incredible machinations but have shed just as much blood with it," Conry told him, "It would be good for you to understand that they are not inferior to magicals. If anything, they are the ones superior. They do not have the ability to cast magic and yet they have traveled to the moon, healed illnesses that have once killed thousands with no way for a cure. They are stronger for the lack of magic. And you, with your magic, you are here to protect life with it."

Arthur closed the hood and leaned heavily against it. "It is a bit hard to follow all their achievements," he said, "I always wonder just why we rejected all their advancements and convenient gadgets."

Conry growled, looking at the few clouds that drifted over the clear blue sky, obscuring the sun. "Because they have forgotten. They forgot that they are not the better. We withdrew completely from the political world, a grave mistake in hindsight, and watched as these blood purists and bigoted bastards took over the ministry. They claimed that the old ways were the right ways. That there was no need to look forward when magic could do all they needed. Now look at them, living like people did in the dark ages."

Arthur looked as the Burrow and sighed. Could a bit of modern touch improve that?

"Probably," Conry answered him, "Potter castle was very modern, we had electricity and running water that didn't rely on magic."

"But... But magic interferes with electricity," Arthur objected.

"Because no one thinks about using magic to stop that," Conry sighed, rolling his eyes. "It is pitifully easy. Like the shield charm, just large scale. It protects whatever is behind it from magic, even an electric cable."

Arthur could only shake his head. "How many years do you think we lack behind them?" he decided to ask.

The wolf shrugged. "The lived like that... 400 years ago? Maybe just 300 but the gap is too large."

Molly strut out of the house with the girls in tow, interrupting whatever Arthur had wanted to say in response. "Let's go! We are getting late!"

As they climbed into the car, Conry remained outside. "Are you sure you won't drive with us?" Molly asked.

"I am," he said, taking Jane's hand before gently kissing her knuckles. "I will still watch over you, don't worry. But I will also take a look at the station." He didn't let go of Jane's hand, but leaned a bit into the car through the window, bowing at the waist to do so. "Are you strapped in, mistress? If Arthur drives to fast you have to let him know. And don't pretend to be tough or I'll come after the car."

As Conry mothered over Jane, which sounded pretty strange with his deep, gravel voice, Arthur grew nervous. Hopefully his driving would not upset Jane. Conry have mercy on him...

"- and take care," he said, letting go of her hand.

"You as well," Jane waving her hand at him. An unseen force ruffled the tall man's hair, creating an unruly mess. He merely smiled gently at her, his hair flattening itself a bit with each passing second.

As the engine roared to life, he vanished into thin air.

* * *

"Arthur..."

He didn't respond, just focused on the road.

"Arthur."

He ignored her. Focus. Careful now.

"Dad!"

Then Jane's soft voice called out, "Mr. Weasley...?"

He hurriedly turned around. "Yes?" he asked, trying not to sound nervous.

"You don't... have to drive that slow," Jane told him, one hand firmly entwined with Ginny's, "Conry likes to exaggerate. I am... not affected by the car's speed."

"Oh." Maybe then they could drive faster than walking speed.

"Yes, _Oh_!, Arthur!" Molly sighed loudly. "Now, please, drive so we arrive on time!"

Chuckling sheepishly, Arthur speed up but kept glancing at the rear-view mirror to keep an eye on Jane. Better not upset the bid bad wolf.

* * *

The big bad wolf rolled his eyes as he listened in on the car conversation. The small necklace Jane wore acted as a listening device only he could use and would become a portkey and whisk her away the moment he willed it. He was currently leaning against the pillar next to the barrier that led to the hidden platform 9 3/4 watching the wizards and witches disappear behind the charmed wall. Maybe they thought they were subtle, but if not for the heavily charmed wards that kept prying eyes away, the statue of secrecy would be gone in under a minute.

A tall man caught his eye, a man with long blonde hair and an ornate cane, dressed in billowing back robes adorned with silver and green. If that one wasn't a Malfoy, Conry was a cat. The self assured strut and high chin could only belong to one of those arrogant morons. If he remembered correctly, this one was the son of Abraxas Lucius Malfoy. The bastard had wormed his way into the ministry and even achieved the marriage into house Black. Sirius would have been furious, would foam with fury if not for his... well, where ever he was. If he knew anything about them, his son was just about guaranteed to be a nuisances. And if he even dared to so much look the wrong way at his mistress he'd unleash a lightning storm like never before.

And he had once almost caused a global one.

Lyon had nearly shaved his tail off. Merlin on the other hand was impressed, Morgana... not so much.

Jane was getting closer, the car was now within city limits, so Conry decided to check out the platform from the inside. He took a step forward and vanished without a sound. He reappeared unnoticed within the crowd that awaited the arrival of the Hogwarts express. He glanced at the clock. At this rate they might just be late. The train was not here yet, it was difficult to pinpoint under all the protective charms it was hidden under, but it should arrive in about ten minutes, give or take two. He watched the Malfoy stand at the far back of the platform, separated from the crowd and yet not hidden away. It was more like he tried to appear as their superior, standing there and watching over them. Conry could fee the dark taint on the man. Maybe he should just kill him. In the end, the Lady had to decide. Jane couldn't make the decisions yet, her heart was strong but not hard enough.

He took a step backwards and faded from the platform, no one ever the wiser.

* * *

"Come now, time is short!" Molly urged, glancing at the big clock that hung over their heads yet again. Two minutes!

Arthur was being dragged along behind his wife, trying to get a word in. "Molly, they won't just vanish if they don't spot us the moment the train comes in!"

She ignored him in favor of glancing back at her daughter and Jane. The latter did not look good at all. She was pale, terribly pale, ever since they got out of the car and into the crowded city of London. She barely even made use of her cane and clung to Ginny's arm like a lifeline, making it difficult for her to walk. Her daughter seemed to try and calm her down but it didn't work at all.

"It will be OK," Ginny whispered, actually concerned for Jane, who was shaking like a leaf and little by little her arm began to go numb.

Jane nodded but Ginny could see that she didn't believe it. Just as she was about to head back to the car, Conry appeared out of thin air in front of them. She shrieked in surprise but the white haired man ignored her. Instead, he gently took his mistress's other arm and then drew her into a hug, magic began pooling around them and the sound of all the people around them faded away. He had bent down so far that his head rested besides Jane's, almost wrapped completely around her. Conry was growling quietly to her as she nodded fervently against his vest.

He looked at her, just as Molly and Arthur came to their side. "We will wait outside," he said, "We will be at the car when you return." And before they could say anything, they vanished without a sound.

All three of them sighed, Molly louder then her husband and daughter.

"It's not fair," Ginny whispered angrily. "Why does her life have to be so hard?"

Her father put a hand on her shoulder. "She... bears a great burden. Her future is dark and so is her past. Maybe.. just maybe, we can at least lighten the present."

"I'll have to find out her favorite desert, food, all of it. And then I will make it for her. Every day," Molly said to herself solemnly.

"Strawberry tart," Ginny said absently, staring at the spot Conry and Jane had vanished from, "Strawberry tart and pancakes."

* * *

Ron stretched his tired limbs as the train rolled into the station, hearing a satisfying pop from every joint he strained. Sighing in satisfaction, he hauled his trunk down from overhead and scuffed out of the compartment. He was almost instantly met by Percy.

"Come on Ronald," he said nasally without looking at him, "Our parents are already waiting."

Ron rolled his eyes. "As if," he scoffed. "They are late. I'd bet my broom on it."

"The broom belongs to the school," Percy reminded him snidely and surely would have said more if not for the sudden appearance of the twins, Fred and George.

They stumbled out of the compartment to their left, thick black smoke wafting out of the door they hastily closed behind themselves. "Why hello there-," Fred began.

"-Oh brothers dearest!," George finished, his voice raspy just before he coughed loudly.

Percy's eyes narrowed. "What did you do in there?"

Ron hit him in the side with his elbow. "We need to hurry," he said, "Mom and dad are waiting already!" He shoved his way past Percy and the twins, who gave him a look that said, "Owe you one."

That they did indeed. Percy huffed in annoyance, straightened his robes and brushed a bit of dust from his prefect badge before following his brothers through the hallway. Students were already flooding out onto the platform and the four brothers had more than a few elbows in unwelcome places before they finally made it out.

"I swear, worse then bludgers, these people," Ron grumbled as he rubbed his sore ribs. "See them yet?" he asked the twins, who were yet a bit bigger than him. He would get them, two more years and he would have a head on them.

They shook their heads, perfectly in sync. "Nope," they chorused, "Not a speck of red in sight!"

He looked balefully at Percy. "I. Told. You. So!" he hissed at him.

"Let's get out of the platform," Percy said, ignoring him.

* * *

Conry and Jane reappeared on a wide meadow in front of a massive ruin that stretched far over the land with once strong walls of stone. The remnants of high towers were strewn across the land, once great arches of white marble were overgrown by grass and in the very center of the ruin was a platform of solid stone, engraved in it was a pack of wolves that stood underneath tree, howling at the moon above. They were before the ruins of Camelot.

The magic that had seeped into the land here was thick in the air, it held the will of so many good people, the magic so many wizards and witches had sacrificed to battle Mordred for their survival and peace. Here was the cradle of magic, the focus point of life. From here it came and here they would lay to rest. While there were no ghosts in Camelot, Jane could still almost feel the gentle caress of the souls that had begun their next great adventure here. It soothed her, the knowledge of the save haven everyone would arrive in. It reminded her that death was the beautiful security every human was given, that death made life worth living. Hers, on the other hand, would only ever come when her destiny was fulfilled. She would live to see the day.

Jane would live to die. A strange, but nonetheless beautiful thought to her. Maybe she could leave this world before she'd loose Ginny.

"I'm fine," she murmured into Conry's shirt. "Thank you."

He chuckled deeply, shaking her whole body with the vibration. "Anytime. Let us return. But for now, stay clear of so many people."

"That would be nice," she said, pressing her face deeper into his vest.

A gentle breeze played in his hair and he looked up into the surrounding forest. For a second he thought to have seen a magnificent red wolf stand proudly in between the trees, golden eyes gazing lovingly at him. But he blinked once and she was gone. She would forever be. For the rest of his eternity. He tightened his embrace around Jane before they vanished from the meadow.

He had failed too many vows, broke too many promises and saw too many people, his own kin, fade and leave him behind. Conry swore to himself and to every deity willing to listen, that Jane would not have to watch her loved ones fade. Conry would make sure that his mistress was free to die.

Even if it killed him.

* * *

"Mom! Dad!" Ron shouted over the head of a startled man just as they emerged from the barrier. The man, bald and dressed in a purple suit, grumbled something profane and stomped angrily away.

Arthur, Molly and Ginny had apparently just arrived and were now fast approaching them, Molly considerably faster than the others. Ron barely had a second to get a word out before he was enveloped in a bone crushing hug from his mother. As he was gasping for air, Percy and the twins took a few steps away from their mother and put their father in between them and her.

"Boys," Arthur greeted warmly, "Good to see you back. How was the train ride."

"Fred and George blew up their compartment," Percy said, glaring at his brothers.

"We did no such thing!" they protested as one. Their father shook his head and sighed.

"Hey boys," Ginny spoke up, waving sweetly at them. Percy almost yelped while the twins scurried away from her. "Care to explain why you didn't write? At. _All_? Hmm?"

"We, uh... there was...," George began, sweating bullets, "You tell her, Fred!"

His brother gave him a look of betrayal before he stammered, "There was this... uh, test and..., y-you tell her, George!"

As the brothers tried to defend themselves (failing pitifully) their father had moved over to see if Ron was blue in the face by now. Good thing he wasn't, Molly was fussing about his height while Percy tried to get a word in about his grades. He smiled at them before he remembered the newest addition to their family.

"We should hurry," he said to his wife, "Can't let them wait that long."

Molly instantly dropped the conversation and effectively ended Percy's report on his brothers' grades. "You're right, dear. Come on boys."

"Can't let _who_ wait?" Ron asked as he hurried to catch up to them with, his trunk in tow. Percy and the twins had shrunken theirs and stowed it away. They were of age already, after all.

Arthur gave his son a measuring look. "We have guests over this summer and I expect you, all of you, to be on your best behavior!" he glanced at the twins. "And if I see you plotting a prank, Conry have mercy on you."

"Who's Conry?" the twins asked, "And who says we will have mercy on them."

"I do," Ginny injected, coming roughly through between them. "I dare you to do something to her! I'll have your hide if Conry leaves anything of it!"

"And who are our guests exactly?" Percy asked.

They were walking over the plaza now to where the car was parked across the street. Besides the car, Ron spotted a huge, white haired man, dressed like some butler straight from those weird _move_ things they had seen in muggle studies. The man turned around and took a step to the side and revealed a beautiful young woman to them. Ron's jaw dropped and he stopped walking. She was _gorgeous_! Why would she stand at their car? He saw Ginny hurry over to them and take the girl's hand before hugging her. Wow, that was one hell of a guest...

The twins whistled loudly in astonishment and even Percy seemed to be take aback by the sheer beauty of the girl. Molly beckoned them over to the car and they all quickly crossed the street.

"Boys," their father spoke up, "This is Jane." He left out her family name on purpose. "You will treat her with the utmost respect. And this," he gestured to the man that towered over all of them. "Is Conry, her..."

"Humble servant," the man rumbled, his voice like the growl of a distant earthquake. "Touch her and I will disembowel you." The girl, Jane, hissed at the man from behind Ginny, who seemed to struggle containing her laughter. Conry rolled his eyes. "My apologies. 'Twas but a jest," he said, but his eyes conveyed that his threat was still there.

Ron was pale now, torn between staring at Jane and glancing fearfully at the tall man with the murderous eyes. The twins, erstwhile having planned to prank whoever guest they had like there was no tomorrow, were now mentally discarding of any such ideas. They liked to live, thank you very much. Percy was silent and tried not to look terrified. Who in the world had golden eyes? With white hair? The man was suspicious in addition to probably dangerous.

"Don't let him terrify you," their mother told them, "But he is right. I ask you to keep a certain distance to Jane here." Ron was ready to protest, he wanted to talk to the beautiful girl! Maybe she liked quidditch! "Jane has a problem with... men in general, Conry here not included." She looked seriously at them, especially at Ron. "If she doesn't talk to you, don't force her! I will have you de-gnome all of Devon if I catch you try!"

Their father cleared his throat. "I also ask you not to move our furniture too much. Jane is completely blind so put everything back into place if you used it." Ron and his brothers hadn't even noticed the blindfold that was shrouded by the long red hair. "I will have a lot to tell you when we get home, boys. It's the same I already taught to Bill and Charlie, the thing I began telling you about, Percy."

The oldest brother paled quite so suddenly and his eyes stared awestruck into the golden eyes of Conry. "No way...," he whispered.

" _They had eyes of purest gold and more power than we can even imagine,_ " his father had told him last year, " _The ministry hunted them some eighty years ago and nearly all of them are gone but one still lives. Though... it is unlikely we will ever meet him._ "

Percy swallowed thickly. "He- He is... one of them?" he asked his father.

"He is," Arthur confirmed. "As I said, we have a lot to talk about."

"One of what?" Ron wanted to know but no one answered him. The atmosphere was heavy now, the twins didn't even crack a joke as they all got into the car, Jane at the window with Ginny at her side. Conry had vanished without any of them noticing.

Ron had a feeling that the coming year was going to be very interesting.

* * *

 **A/N: And that's that!**

 **I suppose we will have reached Diagon alley when I next upload something. But, because the spontaneous addition of fluff takes up a lot of space it may not be in the next chapter! That and I won't be home for some time now.**

 **Anyhow, thank you for your reviews!**

 **:3**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Here we are, or you, really. I am currently curled up in some bed, being sorry for my health. Not that it is bad, I just _had_ to get sick before New Years. I even joked about it...**

 **Anyhow, here you go.**

 **setokayaba2n: The story in itself wouldn't have been any different with Luna, just the starting point would have changed. (and Luna would have consistently broken the fourth wall) That and Jane would have been an Owl Animagus.**

 **DukeBrymin: It wasn't really necessary for Harry to be a girl, not at all. Hell, in the very first draft of this story it was just plain Harry, still blind though ( Why I even added that I do not even remember but I stuck with it). It is somehow a preference to now have Jane here instead of Harry, but the fact that we have a female Harry just makes a lot of things a bit easier. Molly Weasly would never ever allow a man (Harry would have been almost sixteen when they meet) in Ginny's room. Aside from the gender nothing would change, Harry as an elf with a deep carving for Ginny, territorial till kingdom come and... horny. I had written a lot of pages dealing with Molly and the outrages and the overprotective brothers and at one point I was like, "I wouldn't need this shit if it was a girl." Well, here we are now. It also adds a lot of Drama later. And... its fucking cute!**

 **Gin110881: The name of Lucius Malfoy's father is here indeed Abraxas Lucius Malfoy. Just because. Conry did indeed know that Jane would have trouble at the Train Station, but he is determined not to shelter her too much. Her fears don't vanish by hiding from them. That is, at least, Conry's approach. If it works or not is another matter entirely. (PS: I was too tired to really proof read this so I hope there aren't too many typos...)  
**

 **Try to guess Jane's animagus!**

* * *

The ride home was rather quiet. Ron kept glancing past Conry, more or less mesmerized by Jane's smile that he saw ever so often when Ginny told her a story about something that made her laugh. Percy suddenly elbowed him, breaking his enchantment. He threw him a sour look. "What?" his hissed.

"Quit staring," Percy whispered back, eyes nervously jumping to Conry, who was watching the two girls besides him, sometimes adding one thing or another.

"I am not staring," Ron insisted, though his cheeks colored quickly.

"Oh my," Fred chirped.

"Ron's head over heels!" George finished.

"That a crush we spy there?" they laughed loudly together.

"I am NOT-!"

"Boys!" their mother interrupted suddenly. "Quiet down a bit, will you!" She glanced over at Jane, whose hand was trembling slightly while Ginny whispered something to her, face worried. She could see how Conry's jaw tensed and relaxed every few seconds. He was not fond of those who stressed Jane but contained his chastising words. Or angry growls. Molly wasn't sure. She glanced at Arthur, who tensely gripped the steering wheel, torn between driving as carefully as possible and the urge to instill some sense into his sons. Well, Percy not included in this one.

Ron, now looking positively ashamed, sank back into his chair and as silence settled back into the car, Jane visibly relaxed. Molly found herself once more angry at they atrocities that Jane had to endure, how it put her in a state bad enough to be so shaken when more people were around.

She decided to do something about this. Well, as much as Jane would allow it. They were her family now, and they would teach her not to fear ones own family. Molly added that to the things she needed to talk to Albus about.

* * *

The four brothers more or less fled the car in a haste once they pulled up besides the shed in front of the house and were quite distracted at the time so understandably, the shed suddenly opening was at least a bit surprising. Most audibly, Percy was. In fact, he produced such a high pitched shriek that Jane jumped back into the car, Ginny by extension included. Ron simply fell sideways as if he had instinctively dodged a bludger and the twins jumped at least a foot into the air, embracing each other in fright.

"Surprise!" Bill laughed as he emerged from the shed. Looking at his brothers, he said. "What's gotten to you? Scared of the big bad wolf?"

"Fuck you, Bill," Ron muttered darkly as he climbed top his feet again.

"Ronald Billius Weasley!" his mother exclaimed angrily, "I will _scrougify_ your mouth if you say that again!"

As the brothers, more or less happy, greeted each other, they all quite so forgot about their sister and their guests. Conry had, of course, already vacated the car and was nowhere to be found. That left the two girls alone in the car, Ginny more or less pinning Jane down onto the backseat after she had been pulled back into the car. No one was hurt of course, but Ginny didn't think about moving away just then. In fact, she felt that maybe she could move a bit closer.

The decision was made all the more easy as Jane's arms drew her down to her. Ginny blushed as Jane smiled so coyly at her again. "Jane?" she asked.

"Yes?" Her voice was so breathy again, so hot against her lips.

Ginny swallowed. "Are you... I mean... do you... _like_ woman?"

Jane giggled lightly. "I do," she said simply.

Swallowing again, Ginny asked. "And... do you like me?"

Jane's smile shrunk the tiniest bit but it was enough to lose the strength it had. "I... I do," she whispered.

If Ginny's heart hadn't leapt out of her throat yet, it was sure to do so any second now. In fact, Jane should be able to hear it. Merlin and Morgana, Jane liked liked her! But... but why!? She was so very beautiful, so perfect and Ginny... was just Ginny.

She would have asked another question if not for that strange feeling born from having six older brothers. Someone was watching her. And, truly, just as she lifted her head a bit she saw five faces in the windows of the car, all of them her brothers. Ginny sucked her lips in, turned as red as her hair in under a second and tried to glare at them as hard as she could but merely succeeded in looking mighty embarrassed.

* * *

Outside of the car, Fred and George whistled loudly. "Well, well, well! Would you look at that," Fred said.

"Our little sister plays for the other team," George finished.

Ron furrowed his brow in thought, standing at the hood with Bill. "What other team?" he asked.

Percy rolled his eyes. "That means she _likes_ woman."

"Oh," Ron made, eyes wide and face turning steadily redder.

Bill laughed and slapped his back hard with one hand. "Oh come of it Ron! As if Jane here would ever so much as look at you!"

"Not like she could," Ron muttered.

"She never would, even if she could see, young one."

All of the brothers almost jumped on top of the car when Conry's voice boomed behind them.

"My poor heart!", lamented George, clutching his chest.

"Mine as well, oh brother of mine!" Fred joined him.

The white haired man ignored them. "Mistress is not fond of men and it is unlikely she will ever be. She herself is well aware of the irrationality of her fear but even she can't just shrug off what has happened."

"What has happened?" Percy dared to ask.

Bills face darkened considerably and he glanced back into the car. Both girls were gone now, probably off into the orchard. Fred was almost impressed by the scowl on his oldest brother's face but said nothing. It seemed quite so serious.

"It is terribly simple," Conry growled, "her childhood had been made a living hell by her uncle. He was the reason for her fear, for her panic attacks, for her nightmares. Jane is an incredibly sensitive individual, her magical senses are almost uncontested, even by me. You couldn't fool her of your gender with Polyjuice. Her fear has become almost instinctual at this point and your sister is one of the few people that she allows to touch her. " He took a deep breath and let his eyes roam over the brothers, all of them looking at him in a mix of mortification and bewilderment. "Therefore I ask of you not to force her. With Ginny's help, she will recover but if you _do_ get too pushy I will not be easily convinced of mercy."

He turned on the heel of his shiny leather shoe and walked into the direction of the old oak. He vanished from view about halfway across. Ron stared at his feet, awkwardly shuffling from left to right.

"It couldn't have been that bad," he began, "Right?"

Bill exhaled loudly. "I don't know for certain, but Conry forced Albus Dumbledore to listen to her memories and it got the headmaster so angry that he force aparated through our wards and erased Jane's uncle from existence."

"Holy shit," the twins breathed and Percy didn't feel like he could correct that choice of words.

Ron looked back into the orchard. At the very edge of the treeline he could see Ginny sit with Jane as his sister described the shape of the passing clouds to the girl. Bill nudged his side and began walking back to the house, beckoning them all to follow. "She's a special girl," he told them, "Very much so. Dad told you about the wolves?" he asked Percy, who nodded shortly. Bill sighed. "Then follow me and listen up, this may take a while."

* * *

"What _does_ an Elephant look like?"

Ginny glared at the cloud she had chosen, wishing it would explain itself to her and, most of all, Jane. "I... it's big. Bigger than Conry, about twice as big. Leathery skin and... round. Big, floppy ears and a long long trunk in the middle of it's face."

Jane nodded slowly. "A... trunk?"

"A very, very long nose. More like a pipe. Just... a nose." Ginny discovered that it was quite hard describing things to a blind girl.

Jane giggled. "You don't have to try so hard. I know it can't be easy."

Ginny huffed. "It's.. hard, yes, but that won't stop me!"

Sighing in content, Jane leaned into Ginny. "You know, I know exactly what I look like, colors and all."

"You do?" Ginny asked in surprise.

She nodded. "Whenever Emrys takes over, I have this weird picture in my head, a picture of me, actually. No clothes or stuff like that but I can _see_ the red of my hair or my eyes, the green of them just half a second before they turn golden. Emrys told me that in time, maybe she could put stronger pictures into my head, maybe of things I hold onto. Maybe even you..," Jane sighed almost dreamily.

Ginny blushed. "I am not as beautiful as you."

Jane shook her head. "You are beautiful," she told her, "your features are so soft, your lips curve so wonderfully and your nose is so gentle." She grinned. "Unlike Conry's. His face is all sharp lines and angles."

Still blushing, Ginny laughed with her. "It really is!" Internally she swooned at the compliments Jane had made her. The fact that Jane had told her that she liked her made this all a mixture of strange and the most comfortable she could possibly get.

"Maybe we should head back?" she suggested after a while of simply enjoying Jane's warmth against her.

"Maybe," Jane replied softly, "Or maybe we... just stay here a bit."

Ginny frowned lightly. "You don't have to be afraid of them, you know?" Her brothers wouldn't harm a fly. Well, the twins were the obvious exception, of course.

Jane smiled tightly. "I know," she said quietly, "But I... still am."

Ginny took her hand on both of hers. "I'll be there with you. They'd have to get past me first." That, and before they could even try that, Conry would probably deep freeze them...

Jane didn't appear ready to give in. "Maybe I just want to be alone with you."

Aside from driving a bit of color into Ginny's face and accelerating her heartbeat, that achieved little. Little but enough. So she laid back down into the grass with Jane. She found herself watching how the wind played in Jane's hair, how the sun illuminated them and found herself reaching out. Her hair were like silk between her fingers and Jane really seemed to enjoy the ministration. Did she... purr?

She was getting bolder now, daring to trace the curious length of her ears, down the side of her neck, the shape of her collarbone, the valley of her- Woah, that almost escalated! Ginny pulled both eyes and fingers up again, letting her hand drift up her throat where a low hum thrummed against her fingertips, over her chin to these soft lips she found herself staring at. Jane did say that she liked her... right? And hadn't Ginny decided/discovered that she was... gay? Was that why she very much wanted to find out how her lips would taste? What sounds she would make? It wouldn't take much, there was barely an inch of distance left. So... Maybe... just a peck.

* * *

Conry's eyes widened the tiniest bit and he found himself thankful that he had refrained from interrupting. Because just as he turned his head back to them he saw Ginny lean down and capture his mistress's lips softly in a small kiss. He was almost knocked over when the explosion of positive emotions rolled of Jane and hit him like a truck.

Jane let her hands encircle Ginny's neck to keep her there, to taste more of her, and it seemed that Ginny complied. That or the arms supporting her body weight had given out. Either way, he could hear his mistress moan loudly into Ginny's mouth. It elicited a surprised but muffled squeak form the Weasley girl but nothing came of it, because she seemed to learn and enjoy this all on her own.

He felt almost guilty, watching them as he was, but... these were precious memories. Not only to Jane, but to him as well. Because once his mistress was gone, memories like this would keep him going. He would tell these stories to her children and her grandchildren and would forever carry them with him so that they, all who he remembered, would never be forgotten. With a smile, he committed the image to memory and quietly slipped away.

* * *

Ginny hadn't known that kissing could be this... _hot_. Or wet. Or messy. Or so out-of-this-world _good_! She had wanted to find out what Jane tasted like. That she couldn't quite seem to achieve. She didn't taste like anything she could have compared her to. Whatever it was, it made her feel so hot, so tingly as if magic was coursing though her and caressing every inch of her. The heat that now pooled in the pit of her stomach was almost unbearable. But eventually she noticed a need for oxygen, something she had until now gladly breathed in, but now wished she could live solely of Jane's lips.

It felt like she had pulled up just short of fainting, spots of bright color invaded her vision and she was decidedly dizzy. "Wow-!" she huffed between labored breaths. "That was-"

Jane on the other hand did not seem to feel just as satisfied as her, because she rolled the two of them over and before Ginny could do as much as squeak in surprise, Jane kissed her again, deeper and hotter than before. Ginny felt like passing out. Her brain was tingling and she felt it all the way down in her toes when one of Jane's hands caressed her right thigh all the way up to her hip. A sound left her lips she hadn't thought possible, a moan so breathy and _needy_ that she was almost ashamed of herself but had no brain capacity left to spare on such trivial thoughts.

Then the need for oxygen hit Jane and the girl had to pull away, but only just enough to let both of them breath. Ginny hadn't noticed but both of her arms were underneath the shirt Jane was wearing and hand found their way around the older girl's soft midsection. She pulled them free slowly, the mewling sounds that spilled forth from Jane's lips set her ears on fire, but eventually she managed to cup her face, caress her cheeks and marvel at just how nice this felt.

"Wow," she breathed again, softly this time and by far not as out of breath as before. "I didn't think kissing could be like... _this_."

Jane giggled. "Neither did I."

"You... didn't kiss anyone before?" Ginny asked, relief she couldn't place swaying her voice.

Jane shook her head. "No... I... never liked anyone the way I like you."

She couldn't help it, but Ginny grinned widely, so much it almost hurt. "Really?" she asked breathlessly.

"Really," Jane confirmed with a small laugh. "I haven't been close to people. Only my aunt and Conry. There was also the nice music teacher at my school, Mrs. Fleak."

"Music?" Ginny asked, sitting up. "You can play an instrument?"

Jane looked almost ashamed when she said, "Many. Everything that has strings." A wave of her hand conjured a pitch black instrument, a violin, if Ginny wasn't mistaken. "The color isn't right, of course, but it sounds just like the original." A wave of her free hand and a bow gently appeared for her. Without missing a beat, she began to play.

* * *

Conry, who was currently showing the younger Weasley brothers just why everyone referred to him as a wolf, looked up when his ears caught the soft melody that drifted upon the wind from outside the house. Bill had apparently also heard it. "Is that... a violin?" he asked uncertainly.

"It is," the wolf confirmed, shifting briefly before he sat down in a chair, stretching long human legs out in front of him. "Mistress is very talented in the fine arts."

Ron, who had recovered from the sudden appearance of a huge wolf, perked up as well. "It's... beautiful," he said.

Percy merely nodded, humming the melody that seemed so familiar and yet held no name to either of them.

"Speaking of," Fred began.

"What is this elven blood you have mentioned?" George continued.

"And how does it literally tie little Jane to our smaller sister?" Fred finished.

Conry rolled his eyes. "Take a guess, young ones. What do you think?" The wolf was glad to teach but even he encouraged thinking among the human race. They didn't seem to do it often enough, after all.

"I know," Ron said, and most of the room gave him a look of pure disbelief. "Hey, don't gimme that!" he growled, crossing his arms. "I read about elves and their magic in a book!"

Conry knew what most books said. And most were romance novels that bordered nothing short of porn. Sadly, these were the most truthful ones. "Let's hear it then. I shall correct whatever is wrong."

Ron nodded. "Okay," he began, "Elves are humanoid magical creatures that didn't evolve like humans (probably) did, but were born when magic touched the forest." He looked at the wolf-man for confirmation.

"That is mostly correct," Conry admitted, "but the truth is far more complicated and is a bit morbid as well. Carry on."

"They are tall and sharp by appearance and their ears are usually elongated because... I may have forgotten that," Ron said sheepishly.

"Because their ears can hear the forest breath," Conry supplied.

"Right," Ron nodded, though he certainly didn't look like he had understood that. "They can draw magic from he forest, every living plant and even water. They can talk to the animals of the forest, breath life into dead green and live about twice as long as a normal human."

"It is true that they can communicate with the animals but 'talk' is not the right word. It is more of like empathy. Anything more?" the wolf asked.

Now Ron's cheeks heated a bit. "They... uh... mate for life," he said coughing to cover an embarrassed squeak in his voice, "Can share sensations with their... uhm... loved one, I suppose, and... that's it I guess."

Conry chuckled. "As accurate as it gets. These ' _books_ ' don't have all the details, but what is important now is that elves do indeed mate for life. But that is a bit too weak of a term to describe the bond an elf shares with their destined." He faced the door just as Jane walked in, almost floating in her own happiness with Ginny close behind. They giggled and didn't even take notice of them as they made there way right past them and up the stairs.

Percy kept his eyes on the stairs as he asked, "Is... this what's happening here?"

Ron frowned and leaned over to Fred. "I thought they were just gay," he whispered.

Conry almost snorted but managed not to. "They are bound. Halfway, to be exact. Your sister, as you may know, is not an elf. The magical attachment comes solely from mistress Jane."

Percy looked incredulously at him. "She's _magically_ attached to our sister!?"

"That is indeed what I just said, young Weasley," Conry replied calmly, "Though, as I told your father already, this attachment is as natural as it could be. Elves have the ability to find true love, something they used to call _"Love at first sight"_ , and it is merely an aide provided by magic. It is love in it's purest form. Just with a shove in the right direction."

"I think I understand that now," Arthur said from the kitchen door, where he had just entered the room. He looked apologetically at Conry. "I must apologize for ever doubting your words and suspecting such... things from Jane."

As Conry assured Arthur that there was nothing to forgive, Ron leaned over to Fred again. "What kind of things?"

Fred shrugged and looked at George, who shrugged all the same. George then looked at Bill, who sighed. "Dad feared that Jane couldn't control herself and would... force herself onto Ginny."

The brothers' eyebrows rose. It was a ludicrous thought once someone had seen how soft spoken Jane was. "Then again," Fred remarked, "Ginny wouldn't exactly fend for her virtue if it comes to little Jane, would she?"

"I don't think so, brother of mine," George agreed sagely.

Ron made a face. "Ugh! Don't-! That's disgusting! Can we not talk about Ginny doing... things!?"

"Jealous much, Ronniekins?" the twins crooned.

"Now listen here!"

Conry smiled softly at them and vanished without a sound. They would make fine allies and even better friends.

* * *

Luna peeled back the few leaves that still hid the flower bud from view before deciding that maybe it wasn't time yet. She took the small blue flower in between her palms and hummed a singular note that carried away with the wind. When she opened her hands again, a blue flower in full blossom covered both her hands completely. She smiled gently at the flower and returned it and it's roots to the fertile ground at her feet. It would bloom here, the flower her mother had loved so dearly, right were she lay to rest. Upon the small, black stone that lay on top of the hill Luna was standing on, a name was engraved, revealing a bit of the silver inner of the Moonstone.

 _Pandora Lilith Lovegood_

 _Returned to the Endless Rivers_

 _given with Love_

 _taken by Time_

There was no date to it for it didn't matter to neither Luna nor her father. She gently touched the silver engraving of a woven circle that rested above the inscription before leaving the flower to bloom and be waste away by the endless rivers of time. Luna had seen it, the dark up ahead. But there was also light, warm and golden. She played a part, she knew, she and someone else she didn't know yet. But they would meet eventually. And if not, Luna decided to meet them all in the waters of the river, where all would eventually go.

She didn't look up to the man that was now standing besides her. "I will be there," she told him, "And I will fight."

A pair of golden eyes gave her a piercing look before he crouched down to the stone. "I know," he said in his deep, rumbling voice, "And I know, you knew that I'd know." He tapped his long fingers of the right had to the center of the woven circle. A singular spot of gold appeared in it's center, glowing softly.

Luna smiled. "Thank you, wolf."

"Anytime."

Luna Lovegood blinked once and he was gone, back to his mistress's side. "Mother would appreciate it," she said aloud to no one in particular. Without a word she returned home, humming a song of wolves in a golden forest.

* * *

He decidedly did _not_ like Berlin. The magical community was far too strict with these damnable controls. These people acted as if Grindelwald was still about! Fools, the lot of them. Pushing his hair back with a gloved hand, the blonde, almost ashen haired young man strode past the security controls and out of the Parliament, no one even glancing at him. Good. If any more of these fools tried to talk to him he'd loose it. Seriously loose it! As if he was too young to be here on his own!

" _Excuse me,_ " a female voice asked from behind.

He froze, hadn't even felt her approach. His mind was just in too much disarray.

"Ja?" he replied shortly in German, "Ist was? Kann ich Ihnen helfen?"

The woman, probably ten years older than he himself was, laughed loudly, a tinkering laugh that grated his ears. Also, it sounded very familiar to him. He didn't know many woman with white hair so who...? " _Oh no, nothing,_ " she replied, " _You merely dropped your wallet, young man._ " And just like that, his wallet was in her hand. He was perfectly sure that it had not been there before, that he had it in his vest pocket, where he also had his father's watch-

Oh shit...

The young man scowled fiercely at the older woman as he snatched it back from her. " _Thank you,_ " he said gruffly and made for a hasty retreat.

That had been a warning. She could have easily taken the watch. Could have easily opened it. He shook his head. It was time to leave here. The closer he was to his father, the worse this would get. He had heard Greece was nice this time of the year... He chanced a glance over his shoulder but the woman was gone. "Rosalind van Loft," he growled to himself. The last with he had wanted to meet ever again. Why in the world was the head of the German White Mages coming for him?

The young man vanished with a crack. From the shadows, the reddish eyes of Rosalind van Loft followed him. She smiled a tiny smile and said sadly, "We will meet again, sooner than you'd like."

* * *

The day had come that Jane would turn sixteen and Ginny couldn't find any sleep the night prior. Well, it was entirely Jane's fault. Ginny had felt her curiosity boil over ever since they... kissed liked they did. She found that... _touching_ made her feel all warm and nice and... uh, _itchy_. That, coupled with the peculiar habit of Jane, to worm her way into Ginny's clothes while she slept, made sleeping out to be a real challenge. It caused Ginny to be all itchy in the morning until they'd shower. And uh... _play_.

So the morning of Jane's sixteenth birthday, Ginny was already awake when Jane stirred, a thing that very rarely ever happened, but given that Jane's hands where buried deep under Ginny's nightshirt with one leg decisively wedged in between hers, the Weasley girl had been awake for close to an hour now, trying not to move. Too much. Moving felt nice, after all.

Jane did not have the chance to say Good Morning before Ginny was already kissing her. The girl didn't seem to mind at all, of course she didn't, and rolled on top of her, dragging her lips from Ginny's and down her jaw to her throat, eliciting a soft hiss from the younger girl as she sucked on her supple skin.

Almost immediately, Jane pulled back, laughing sheepishly. "I'm sorry," she said, straddling the heavily breathing Ginny. "I may have left a mark."

Blinking a few times to clear her pleasantly foggy mind, she brought a hand to the still slightly wet spot on her throat. Her other hand reached for a small mirror that lay on the nightstand. She peered curiously into it and, sure enough, there was a little red spot. But, behind the mirror frame, she could see Jane, topless as she was, stretch tired limbs, which caused her to drop the little mirror flat onto her face.

"Did I leave one?" the older girl asked mid stretch and Ginny had to swallow thickly.

"No," she responded breathlessly, "I think you'll have to try again."

* * *

Conry leaned against the wall opposite of Ginny's room, waiting patiently. Bill was just coming up the stairs, no doubt to wake the two girls, so the wolf decided to intervene. "You shouldn't enter the room, red one."

Bill almost jumped when he spotted Conry there, hadn't even seen him. "Merlin, Conry! Don't hide yourself like that."

"I was not hiding. I was guarding," the wolf responded, pushing himself off the wall. "They will come down eventually. Just not now." His ears twitched visibly. "Definitely not now."

Bill laughed quietly, thankful that his hearing wasn't as acute as the wolf's. "Well, mom's going spare already. She wants this to be perfect."

Conry shook his head. "Mistress would think everything you'd do perfect. As long as there is something strawberry flavored, that is."

Laughing again, loudly this time (which was followed by a startled squeak from inside the room), he walked down the stairs, calling over his shoulder, "Just make sure Ginny leaves enough time for us to at least congratulate her!" Another squeak and a loud thump followed form within the room, causing Conry to chuckle.

"Mistress," he spoke loudly to the door. "Once you have dressed accordingly, it is time for some celebration."

He heard Ginny laugh loudly when he began descending the stairs. Smiling, he disappeared before he reached the foot of the rickety stairs.

* * *

"She will be here shortly."

Molly squeaked in surprise and almost leapt onto the table. Percy outright dropped out of his chair and Ron inhaled a whole slice of toast. Arthur took the sudden appearance of Conry in the middle of the room almost in a stride, he did drop his cup though. Fred and George were not present yet. Bill was just coming in through the door behind the wolf.

"Didn't I... leave before you?" the eldest Weasley brother asked, taking his place in his chair.

"You did," was all the response he got before the wolf turned to their newest guest. "Petunia," he said to the woman, who had gripped the table as hard as she could in fright, "Excuse my sudden... appearance. I hope you found here just fine."

Jane's aunt took a deep breath. "Not at all, actually. The nice young man," she indicated to Bill, "picked me up in the village."

"As he should have," Molly threw in. "Our house is shrouded away from m-... non magical people."

"I can see why," Petunia agreed. "Such a construct would have garnered many raised eyebrows. I suppose it doesn't stand... naturally?"

" 'Courshe not," Ron pressed through three slices of toast and one sausage, " 's all mashic."

"Ronald!" Molly hissed, "Don't speak with your mouth full!"

"Shorry, mm-m."

"Ronald!"

Conry chuckled. "Anyhow, how is your son doing?" he asked Petunia.

She smiled lightly. "Better, I suppose. Without Vernon, I think he feels... guilty, for what he did." A small frown crinkled her brow. "But... not guilty enough to come with me to apologize."

"Give it time," the wolf told her, "he is but a child. Children are easily influenced but he will come to see the errors in his actions. You are a good mother, Petunia."

The blonde woman's lips quivered. "But I was a bad aunt," she whispered to herself.

"You weren't," a new voice disagreed quietly and everyone in the room turned to the door, where Jane, hair a terrible mess, stood with an equally unkempt Ginny. "You did everything you could and I love you for that." Jane glided through the room, bypassing every obstacle with ease until she was at her wolf's side. Conry took her hand and guided her to her aunt's side, who couldn't bring herself to look up at her niece. "Thank you, aunty," Jane whispered, reaching out to her, "Thank you so much, for everything."

Petunia chocked back a sob before fiercely hugged Jane. "Happy Birthday Janey," she said shakily, "Your mother would be so proud of you. So, so Proud!"

It was then, just as the rest of the family was about to congratulate, that Fred and George more or less fell into the room, their hair a vibrant green and a metal balll chained to each of their feet. "Did we miss it!?" both questioned but only earned a glare from their mother in response.

"Fed and George Weasley!" she hissed loudly. "What is the meaning of this!?"

As her mother rounded on the twins, Ginny sneakily made her way to Jane's side. "Are you okay?" she asked quietly.

Like a piece of metal (albeit a very beautiful one) to a magnet, Jane was drawn to Ginny, leaving Petunia to stare at the two girls in surprise. Jane had never even attempted to touch someone else besides her back then, and that was now exactly three years in the past. Could she have healed that much already? Or...

Petunia watched closely as Jane melted against this other girl, a happy and content smile on her lips. She couldn't have gotten so much better, not from what Conry had told her. That meant... this girl was special. She couldn't help but smile. Petunia wasn't surprised, not at all. She very much doubted that Jane would ever find love with a man, so this was a quite logical outcome.

Conry was meanwhile stealthily levitating a huge strawberry tart into the room, that Mrs. Weasly had made the night before. He had told them that Jane's sense of smell was far too sensitive to surprise her like that, which was why they had hidden the cake away in the pantry. It was a humongous thing, Petunia had to admit, it towered over her already quite high head and was crowned by a generous amount of whipped cream. The rest of the cake was a mix of strawberry marmalade, huge strawberries as a whole and what could have been strawberry cream. All that was covered in a red glaze, which Petunia assumed was also strawberry flavored. All in all, the perfect cake for little Jane.

Mrs. Weasley had outdone herself with this and just as the cake touched down in the middle of the table, she could see how Jane's nose twitched and she breathed in deeply. Ginny flushed deep red at the sound that originated from directly behind her ear and Petunia couldn't help but chuckle. Her niece turned to the table, visibly taking in the sweet aroma of her birthday cake.

Conry subtly waved his hand at the rest of the family and all of them together, albeit the men far quieter, so they had been instructed, they chorused, "Happy Birthday, Jane!"

"Happy Birthday, my little mistress," the wolf-man affectionately told her and she had to admit that she was surprised by the warmth this thunderous voice relayed. He pulled a jet black box from his vest, opened it and swiftly put the blackest ring Petunia had ever seen on Jane's right index finger. A vibration of energy washed over her and she watched as Jane first appeared astonished, then overwhelmingly happy.

"My dear, fluffy wolf," she cried, probably the loudest her aunt had ever heard her, "I will always treasure it."

Out from the corner of her eye, she could see Ginny fidget worriedly in her chair. She held a small brown box, tightly clasped into her hands. Petunia smiled and leaned over to her, whispering, "No matter what you give her, as long as you wish for her to be happy, my niece will be glad to have it. From you more so, I suspect."

Ginny didn't answer, just blushed an interesting shade of red. Smiling apologetically at the girl, Petunia turned to watch Jane stand and receive a fluffy grey sweater from Mrs. Weasley. She could see how tense her niece was but it still amazed her how much confidence she had gained. Maybe if she had taken her away sooner...

"Do not think like that," Conry spoke from directly behind her. "The past is already past. She is safe now, she is happy now."

Petunia nodded. "I hope it can stay that way," she said.

To no one but himself, the wolf whispered, "So do I."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Well, damn me that's one hell of a delay... therefore this one has 14k words.**

 **Gin110881: I didn't change any birthdays from canon (though it may entirely be possible that I forget at times) so this chapter does indeed begin on the 31st of July. I don't plan on repeating all this birthday and gifting stuff over and over while trying to think of meaningful gifts. Unless it's coming of age or anything else I have planned, future birthdays will just be glossed over. Or replaced entirely with copious amounts of fluff...**

 **Now I realized that I've spent over _60k_ words before ever going to Hogwarts. Geez, what did I do? I don't plan on dragging things into bookish length in the future.**

 **Just, uh, a quick request. Please point out when a _through_ became a _though_ or the other way around. I tend to miss these and when I re-read these chapters I mostly miss them again and it's just hella annoying to see these mistakes. Feel free to point out anything you find, I'm definitely not perfect after all.**

 **:3**

* * *

Ginny was getting more nervous by the minute. After her father had _personally_ handed Jane a notebook that was able to record whole lessons or conversations in Braille for her, it was now more or less her turn to give Jane her gift. Maybe she was having a panic attack, or something pretty close. Would she even like the gift? What if she didn't? Ginny didn't want to make her sad, or even just disappoint her!

 _"You worry too much."_

The voice almost startled her, but she knew it to be Conry's. The strange thing about it, was that she heard it from... inside her head. She looked up to him.

 _"Mistress Jane will love what you have for her more than everything we could ever give her,"_ it echoed in her head. She nodded slowly but suddenly her vision was obscured by an angel. Ginny regretted not being able to see Jane's beautiful eyes but she took her hand end gently pressed the box into her grasp.

"Happy Birthday," she whispered and quickly kissed her cheek. She didn't dare kiss her lips (mostly because that could quickly escalate) but was still rewarded with a beautiful smile.

"Thank you," she breathed, so quietly that no one else could have possibly hear it, but the words weighed with so much adoration that Ginny almost felt like crying. She opened the box deftly, her long fingers running over the contents. They felt the smooth metal of a medallion, the small grooves of the inscribed runes and the glass marble that was let into the very center of the diamond shaped pendant. Inside the small glass marble that was barely as big as Ginny's thumbnail, was a small flower. A small, blood red flower. It glowed softly as it hung there inside the marble, suspended by magic.

Jane hummed lowly, a sound that Ginny wasn't sure a human could have produced and the flower glowed brighter. She smiled widely. "A wolf blossom," she breathed and the flower tinkled in response. "It's wonderful."

Ginny swallowed. "I... carry a similar one. It will grow warmer the closer we are so that you always know I'm there," she explained, holding up and pendant with the same flower for Jane to touch.

Jane looked about ready to kiss her and Ginny would probably not have refused but the door that led out into the backyard was pushed open and Luna strode in with what appeared to be a flower growing on top of her head. It was a silvery blue color and shone softly in the sunlight, but it hadn't bloomed yet. Luna's silver eyes zeroed in on Jane and she chirped cheerfully, "Happy Birthday!" before proceeding to hug her like an old friend.

But the most peculiar thing was, that Jane didn't seem to mind at all. Something stung in Ginny's chest but she squashed it immediately. That was just Luna!

 _"A wise decision,"_ Conry's voice echoed inside her head, causing her to jump a little. _"Luna is more a magical creature to my Mistress than she is human. She has no problems socializing with her. Her fears are not triggered by them."_ Ginny looked up to him. _"For that reason we spent a great deal of time with the elves. They behave fairly human and it helped her a lot."_

Ginny nodded absently, almost missing how Luna plucked the flower off her head and held it out to Jane, begging her to make it bloom. As Luna departed for the yard, as if she knew that Jane would follow, Ginny stood up to stand besides Jane. It seemed like the right thing to do. "You can make it bloom?" she decided to ask, grasping her hand.

Jane nodded. "I can. It's a moonflower, a strong one. They are highly poisonous when they bloom in a full moon night but you can brew powerful elixirs from one you managed to let bloom during the day."

"And they look absolutely mesmerizing," Conry added from behind her. "Let us go outside. I am sure the cake will taste phenomenally even out in the sun."

Jane whirled around to him so fast that she almost stumbled, hey shy demeanor forgotten in favor of cake. "Will you carry it? Is it delicious?!"

Conry chuckled and gently mussed her hair. "It is indeed. Molly put a great deal of work into it."

Jane squirmed away from his hand and then briefly stilled. Her long ears twitched before she glided along the edge of the table to where Ginny's mother sat and hugged her tightly. "Thank you!" she laughed loudly, much to the surprise of everyone in the room. Jane really never initiated contact on her own. Unless it was Ginny or her aunt, of course. Conry didn't count. Ginny glanced at him and noted that he looked at the scene with approval in his golden eyes. His eyes found hers and he nodded in Jane's direction, who stretched over the table to dab a finger into the cake, tongue peeking out from the corner of her mouth. She appeared so unburdened then, so free, much unlike she normally looked. Haunted and hurt, small and scared. Ginny found herself wishing to keep it that way.

Maybe one day, she would.

* * *

Luna watched in awe as Jane, moon flower in her lap, worked her magic. It was beautiful, magic in so many colors, so many feelings and so many different types, it all flowed though her, saturated her very being and from her core there was magic in the purest white and gold, it almost blinded Luna as she took it all in. She and Ginny watched with the rest of the Weasleys how the flower began to glow softly in a pale blue light that never grew any brighter but seemed to spread more and more around the plant, encompassing it in a light halo. Jane hummed a single note that Luna couldn't have placed if she had possessed a perfect hearing and suddenly the flower moved, swayed not in the wind but under the gentle caress of Jane's power. A shudder, a twist and gently tugging later, the moonflower opened, bloomed in the daylight. It revealed the pure silver bud that glistened in the sunlight like a million stars surrounded by the velvet inside of the blossom.

Jane set the flower down and the grass bent and twisted to get in touch with her skin, the green became so much greener were the few lucky blades managed to brush against her and the earth parted willingly to accept the roots of the moonflower as if it was destined to be rooted at the foot of the ancient oak.

Even after Jane let go of it, the flower shone like a star, it smelled heavenly sweet, to Luna it almost tasted like plums while Ginny, surely, must have smelt apples and strawberry. It was this flower, the silver buds that one would call _moon stars_ once harvested, that was a key ingredient for the amoretina potion.

"So," Luna said, clapping happily," I have heard there is cake?"

* * *

The early days of August were spent lazily by all of the Weasley clan. But there was one thing they all did together nowadays and that was attending these little lessons that Conry, and occasionally (such as that day) the Lady Emrys herself, would hold.

The emerald staff was circling Emrys like the earth orbited the sun, occasionally producing pictures, runes and sounds for them. A greenish projection of the moon was currently drifting past Emrys' golden eyes as she revealed to them the magical effects the moon had on rituals, runes and potions.

"Despite popular belief, magic is affected by gravity," Emrys told them, stroking Conry's head, who sat at her side. "It merely reacts differently like tangible matter does. Magic has no weight, gravity is void to it, theoretically speaking, but in reality, magic is drawn by gravity, not because of it's force, but because at the center of a gravitational force, there is an object. And it does not matter what this object is, the moment it exercises the force of gravity at it's surroundings, magic will latch onto it and take part in it. The moon, as it is responsible for the tides for example, is what you could call a magical weight."

The depiction of the full moon darkened into a half moon and it glowed a bit brighter. "Magic latches onto forces that affect space and time, and light is one of these things. That basically means that the moon reflects more magic the more light is remitted from it's surface."

Bill and Percy were scribbling along furiously and even Ginny took the occasional note. As she finished her last sentence, she spotted Fred and George write something down, something that definitely would cause a lot of mayhem. Ron wasn't writing anything down but he was listening intensely. Her parents were sitting back but they, too, were visibly leaning towards Emrys.

"By now you know that magic resides in a plane that is not connected to this reality naturally, but rather through humans, who draw magic through their core and release it into the world, adding their own to it and ever increase the existing amount. A part of the magic you cast, a part of your will and intention, seeps back into that realm you have drawn from. It does not go back through your core but rather dissolves from this plane to appear in the other. It is not a process one could explain with arithmancy or runes for not even a spell can trace this phenomenon, nor can this process be stopped from happening."

Emrys placed a delicate hand over her heart. "My magic, the source of my existence, right now resides within Jane, in this very body, not in the plain beyond your core. At this very moment, I am not human, not even remotely, neither am I an elf nor about to a twelfth a dragon. I am not a being of magic, I _am_ magic. I am a construct that has been created using Jane's very soul and the will of everyone that ever contributed to my ways. Because Merlin was very young when he first used this magic and connected to it, his person and his very soul were very much the same. Aside from an unusual boost in maturity one would not have been able to tell the difference after he became Merlin Emrys. But Jane was almost ten years older than Merlin had been and merging with her would have... effectively killed her as a person and only I would have been left." She lowered her eyes. "It would have been as if I had taken over her body entirely, stolen it from a girl that is so much my daughter as she is my sister and my closest friend. And because I exist solely to preserve life and magic, I could not possibly do that. Hence, I am allowed to command Jane's boy whenever she lets me."

"So... you are, like, two people in one body?" Ron dared to ask after a slight pause.

She shook her head and even this simple motions had something so very graceful to it. "We are not, young Ronald." Ron blushed furiously at that. "I am always with her but when I am not acting through darling Jane, I _hover_ around her, you could say."

"One with the ability to see magic would describe it as a halo of white and gold," Conry spoke up.

"Like Luna?" Ginny found herself asking.

"Indeed my dear," Emrys told her kindly. "Little Luna has such gifted eyes, she could probably see me from miles away."

* * *

And so the afternoon continued, at some point the Lady Emrys simply chuckled, excused herself and relented control to Jane, who immediately blushed and left the center of attention so to sit at Ginny's side. Conry took over and talked, surprisingly, about the non-magical people, about the wars they fought, the things they did with their technology and their culture in comparison to their's.

It was during an explanation of electric music instruments that Professor Dumbledore joined them, she found it strange that he would simply show up like that but guessed that it was school business. He talked a lot with Conry but Ginny never got to listen in on it.

She and Jane spent some time under the old oak after the others went inside, talking to Conry about wandless magic and how she could seriously hurt her arm if she focused too much on channeling it through her hand. Magic could, in higher concentration of it's raw state, apparently have uncontrolled effects on it's surroundings. That generally caused accidental magic and could very well just vanish Ginny's arm if she wasn't careful with it.

As her own birthday got closer, Ginny began to grow... restless. Not because she anticipated anything special, her family was more one for sentimental gifts, but because she wasn't sure what Jane would get her. They were at the others side most of the time so Ginny didn't think Jane had gone and bought her something (which was good because Ginny didn't think that some expensive trinket would be of use use to her). So when Jane excused herself to talk to Conry and then promptly vanished from the premise, just a day shy of Ginny's birthday, she just knew she was going to get her something!

"Calm down, Gin-Gin," Fred said as he entered the sitting room. "You keep on worrying that shirt and not even magic could fix it."

"Not even little Jane!" his twin chimed, following his brother.

Ginny released her shirt and pouted mockingly. "I'm sure she could," she protested before sighing. "What do you think she'll get me? I hope it's nothing too expensive... What if I don't like it!?"

Both twins laughed loudly and sat down to either side to their little sister, both put an arm around her. "We'd like to believe-," Fred crowed.

"-that you'd _love_ just about anything-," George continued.

"-little Jane would give you!" they chorused.

Ginny's face grew warm and she sniffed primly. "I-... Maybe," she admitted, ducking her head, "but what if it's something terribly expensive?"

Both twins sighed loudly and Fred shook his head at her. "What would it matter if it was?"

"It's not like she's going to gain anything from it, no matter how expensive!" George snickered.

"You'd already give her whatever she'd ask for!" Fred laughed.

Ginny jumped up and off the couch. "Shut up!" she exclaimed, her voice pitching higher than ever before. She vacated the room with a fiery blush, much to her brothers' amusement. She returned with experimental and highly magical color bombs from the twin's room and proceeded to chase them thrice around the house.

All three of them could have shamed a rainbow that day.

* * *

Jane returned in the afternoon with a happy little smile adoring her beautiful features but she never said anything about what she had been doing in the time she and Conry had been away. Good thing she couldn't see how hard Ginny pouted once she realized that Jane wouldn't tell her unless she asked it of her. And that was something that the Weasley wasn't about to do, forcing her to answer. Besides, Jane was just way too cute when she realized that Ginny was staring intently at her. It got her to squirm. That, on the other hand, Ginny did with pleasure.

The next morning, the day before her birthday, Ginny found herself sitting in the parlor, willing a cup of tea to heat up. Without a wand, mind you. Luna was lounging in an armchair, combing Jane's long hair as she watched with fascination as Ginny tried and failed to boil the water. Conry sat opposite from Ginny, also watching intently.

"The flow is not constant," he commented, "Your will to boil the water is wavering as you become more frustrated. Let us take a break." He rose from the couch. "I shall inquire about dinner." He left the room with a bow in Jane's direction, which she somehow seemed to take note of and returned with a small smile. It always puzzled Ginny and she wondered just to what extend they were connected.

The Weasley sighed loudly and let herself fall backwards to lay her head down in Jane's lap and pout extensively. "This is ridiculously hard," she whined.

Jane smiled down at her as she began to play with her hair. "You are doing good, Ginny," she told her, "It's just harder for you to imagine."

Ginny frowned up at her. "Imagine?"

"Yes," Jane affirmed, "You have to imagine boiling while I merely have to feel it."

That... went over her head. "I.. uh," she began, "How do you feel it boil?"

"With magic, of course," Jane laughed. "I reach out with it, I can tell that the water is cold, that it isn't moving, so then I put the energy that it needs to boil inside the water. That make's it boil."

Ginny didn't quite understand. Energy to boil the water? Like... fire? She was trying to make it steam and bubble, like... boiling.

Unlike Jane, Ginny didn't have a basic understanding for physics or chemistry, which was very much essential to shift the state of matter of just about any object. With a wand and the usage of spells, the matter of lacking knowledge was circumvented. The spell was what carried the action with it and how to enact what the wizard or witch wanted. Wandless magic required Ginny to truly understand what her magic was doing.

Conry had realized this and wondered if he should teach her physics and chemistry. It couldn't exactly harm her, though the concept of electricity was something that was so foreign to most wizards that they refused to accept and understand it. Jane had an excellent grasp on the theory, she knew what magic had to do, the possible and the impossible, to achieve amazing feats of magic.

Maybe, once he was in Hogwarts, he would teach those who were willing to listen Merlin's way of magic. Emrys' way of magic.

* * *

No matter how one would look at it, today was Ginny's birthday and she was so excited that she awoke yet again before Jane. Ginny managed to restrain herself for a full hour before she woke the girl that slept so peaceful in her embrace. Because it was her birthday, Ginny decided to indulge herself a bit. Jane's lips looked oh so inviting after all.

She tasted of the toothpaste they had used yesterday night but it gave way in seconds and was replaced by the sweet taste that Ginny learned to be Jane's own, unique one. Sweet and sweet all over, and there was a hint of something strong the she couldn't place. She didn't waste too much of a thought on it when, after a mere few seconds, Jane woke up and responded almost eagerly.

Ginny smiled against her lips. She liked doing this, being all cuddly and lovey dovey with Jane. It was a funny feeling, the good sort of funny.

"Happy Birthday to me," she sighed against her lips and a small laugh escaped Jane in response.

It was perfect. But - as it is - nothing lasts forever.

* * *

When Conry opened the door, Ginny was more or less devouring his mistress. While it was nice to see that the Weasley girl had gotten comfortable with the relationship, there was a birthday dinner to feast at.

He cleared his throat. Once. Twice. And even a third time but it had no effect whatsoever aside from a sluggish wave from his mistress in his general direction accompanied by a breathy whine that, even to a wolf, had no meaning at all. Wit a sigh, he barked sharply one, the sound not matching his human mouth at all.

Ginny yelped and fell sideways off the bed, leaving the more or less undressed body of Jane to the cold.

"There you go," he said, "Dinner in five. Don't make me come back." He smirked as he left the room but they didn't have to know that.

He felt Jane's embarrassment spike once she noted that her shirt was not were it where it was supposed to be and a small laugh escaped him, a rough sound that startled Arthur as he left the bathroom.

"Mornin' Arthur," he greeted, though it was a bit awkward. He hadn't gotten used to calling the man by his given name yet. _Red one_ had been what he called all the Weasleys before Ciel-

"Morning," the man returned, shuffling out of his way in the cramped landing. "The girls up yet?" he asked as they descended the stairs, Arthur in morning robes and Conry, dressed in a button up dress shirt and vest as always.

"They are now," Conry chuckled. "Your daughter is very excited about her birthday."

Arthur laughed and picked up the Daily Prophet from the windowsill next to the front door as they passed. "She always is. Gods, she is fifteen already..."

"And she will turn one hundred and fifty years just as fast," Conry said sagely. "Believe me, even eternities can pass in the blink of an eye."

Molly was humming to herself as she pushed the last pieces of strawberry and chocolate atop the cake into position as they entered. Conry wondered why he had in over a millennia not met a cook quite as skilled as her. Arthur sat down at the end of the table, where a cup of coffee was already waiting for him. "You must have seen many, many birthdays," the man mused as he took a sip of his coffee. It was obviously too hot so he pulled out his wand and quickly muttered a cooling charm.

"More than I could count but I remember every single one of them," Conry told him. There were so many of them. The memories, wonderful and cruel all the same. Even the happiest tended to haunt him. "The very first one besides Merlin's I remember was Arthur's. _King_ Arthur, mind you. And he wasn't even king then. It was his seventeenth birthday, just a few months before Merlin would have turned eighteen."

A mess it had been, for an evil sorcerer had tried to murder the young prince. That didn't do a lot of good on his stance on magic and it took Merlin and the hounds years to set his head straight while simultaneously defying evil ploys all over Europe.

"How was he? The King, I mean?" Molly asked curiously, levitating the cake onto the table.

Conry was momentarily distracted by the sheer size of the thing. Even if he stood up now, it would tower over him. "Well... Merlin called him a prat on more than one occasion but he was a noble and honorable man. Once he knew what magic was, he pledged his life to it, even though he hadn't been magical himself. He and Merlin worked hard to get magic into a safe place but... well, you do live in secrecy now so it didn't exactly succeed."

His ears perked up and he heard three doors open all at once. The ones higher up thundered down the stairs only to abruptly slow down behind the occupants of the lowest room. Jane still didn't skip down the stairs but she walked faster than you'd think. The Weasley brothers didn't dare overtake her and the birthday girl so it was them who entered last.

Ginny squealed when she saw the cake and the pile of presents Conry had neglected to notice, which sat on her chair and on the table before it. She skipped ahead and dragged Jane after her to hug her parents and immediately shovel some cake onto two plates.

While Ron's eating habits were definitely more reminiscent of a starved wolf than a human being, Ginny wasn't exactly lady-like either when it came to cake. Or Jane for that matter, Conry added in his mind with a smirk.

They chimed a birthday song for her, Fred and George sung purposefully out of tune, and it all was a general mess as Ron and Ginny fought over the last whole strawberry only for Jane to snatch it from them. Ron gaped at her in disbelief as Ginny and the twins howled with laughter. Jane, even though she blushed, smiled widely at them all. There wasn't a moment of rest, for not a minute after they had calmed down somewhat, the floo chimed loudly and ejected the two oldest brothers in a heap onto the carpet in the parlor. Evidently, they had the misfortune of ending up in the hearth at the same time.

"Bill! Charlie!" Ginny cried, skipping and actually twirling her way over to them and jump them both.

Conry guided his mistress into the parlor as well, where he stood at her side as she settled down on the couch.

"Why look who's there!" Bill laughed as his sister almost tackled him to the ground again, after he had just managed to stand straight. "Say, how old are you now?"

"You prat!" Ginny laughed and mussed his hair while she still hung off his shoulders. Otherwise she wouldn't have reached it anyways, Conry noted.

"Hey!" Charlie exclaimed, dusting of his shirt. "What about me?"

Ginny turned to him and pretended to think. "Hmm," she made, "Gimme a good present and you might get a hug!"

"Uff!" Charlie breathed, pretending to be wounded, "Harsh, little sister! So harsh!"

The twins howled with laughter, even as they were doing something to Ron's cup of tea. Conry mused that it might be a voice changer in nature. As Molly reprimanded them lightly, Charlie searched all his pockets for something that was obviously somewhere in those trousers with far too many zippers. Eventually he pulled a small box out from them and presented it to Ginny.

"Will that be enough?" he asked his sister while she eagerly opened it.

Conry could feel it before he saw it. The tooth of a dragon, willingly given and charmed with light protective spells and an eternal warming charm that only an object belonging to a dragon could have. Should Ginny wear it, she would never be truly cold. Besides him, Jane perked up as well.

"Is that... from an Icelandic Ridgeback?" she mumbled, meant only to herself but Charlie had obviously heard her.

He turned towards her and beamed appreciatively. "Yes!" he cried out, "And what a beauty she is! Kana is the oldest dragon back in Romania!"

Jane flinched at the volume but did otherwise not react much. A huge advancement, Conry noted. She smiled shyly back at him but didn't say anything more. Charlie returned his attention to his sister when she wanted him to put the blueish tooth around her neck.

"Hmm," she made, fiddling with the rather warm tooth between her fingers, "I think... that might just be enough!" She hugged him with enough force to make him wince.

"Uh, ah! So you like it then!" he said, "Just don't break my bones over it!"

Bill cleared his throat and held out a black box for Ginny. "I got you something, too, you know?" he asked, frowning playfully as he, too, pretended to be hurt.

"Really?" Ginny asked almost sarcastically, but couldn't contain her excitement. "What is it?"

"Open it!" Bill laughed and handed her the wooden box.

Conry was proud to note that he was still able to fabricate magnificent ward stones. One of those was now in Ginny's hands. While it wasn't as powerful as what Ciel could have done, it was still a beautiful thing. It was a ruby in the size of a bludger, though by far lighter. In it's center was a golden core, made of a leaf from the Golden forest. This stone was not a protective one, rather one that could protect if Ginny would acquire the skill to enchant it correctly. Until then, Bill had crafted a truly intriguing chain of spells together to create magic that could spread throughout the room. Said magic being either light, sound or a certain feeling. It was also charmed to ease nightmares and in it's presence the body would continuously soothed by the magic that the golden leaf harbored.

All in all it was a nice trinket to posses. He watched as Ginny tested the ward stone out, the chirping of birds filled the room and shimmering flecks of light flickered around them. Jane laughed when one touched her. She might not have seen it, but could feel them all the better.

"That is so cool!" Ginny said, making the stone flash in every color she could think of, projecting a rainbow onto the ceiling. "Thank you!" she told Bill with a fierce hug.

She sat down on the couch besides Jane, handing her the stone. It lit up like a torch when his mistress touched it. The warmth of her magic was radiated through the whole room. She sheepishly handed it back to Ginny. "I-I'm sorry," she apologized, albeit smiling.

"Never mind that," Ginny said, beaming at her, "It was really cool!"

Jane smiled before she remembered that she, too, had something for Ginny. She turned towards him and before she could even ask, he conjured the long, wooden casket for her. It was an ornate thing that bore the crest of the Potter Family on top, the silhouette of a wolf pack with a half moon in the background, framed by two trees. Unlike with her previous presents, Ginny took this one carefully from his mistress, who shyly held it out to her.

It was endearing, though it also reminded him of the fact that his mistress was still a long way from the person she could have grown up to be, if only he could have protected the family properly.

Ginny slid the lid off the box and gasped.

It was a wand. But not just any wand. It was a wand crafted by him, he who had crafted the first wand of it's kind eleven hundred years ago. Conry was the best wand maker out there, every wand maker after him had learned from him, in one way or another. In fact, Garrick Olivander had been the last man taught by him. But even so, Ginny's wand was special. It had been bathed in the dragon fire Jane could produce, cut from wood she had grown and nurtured with her elven magic and it's core was a tooth of her own animagus form.

Conry had her swear that he would never have to pull a perfectly healthy tooth again, animagus or not.

The wand was made of a single branch of a weeping willow from the isles of Avalon, wood no one should be able to obtain. Jane had coaxed a sapling to grow strong enough to let them harvest a young branch. The wood was unique, it would age even after being cut and would effectively grow with Ginny. It was naturally a magical conduit and happened to turn into a dark, reddish brown once Jane flooded it with her magic. For the handle, Conry had carved a howling wolf, a perfect depiction of the Red Hound, of Ciel, so that she may watch over her family from the depth of magic even after her passing.

Jane had insisted on engraving runes into the length of the wand. Three in total, all of them ancient and powerful. Some could read _Lifeblood_ in one of the runes, if they were studied enough. It was an old way to call ones family, ones own blood. The second rune was called _Inumial_ , the ancient elven word for heart. The heart of life, the heart of magic. The last rune read _Riigro_ , which was taken from the dragon tongue. It described the connection from one soul to another, heart to heart. It was the closest word the dragons had for love.

Runes on a wand did, in itself, nothing at all. But if the wielder would cast magic, they had the ability to sway it's nature. Ginny's spells would naturally be attuned to the wild, to the flame and to the soils of Yggdrasil's worlds.

It didn't make her any stronger, but should she try to cast fire, the dragon rune would draw the magic easily though her core. Influencing plant life would come easier and moving the living earth would not be as strenuous.

Ginny made a noise of awe in the back of her throat as she carefully picked the beautifully crafted wand off it's satin bedding the the casket. It thrummed audibly in her grasp, and an invisible breeze ran through her hair.

The wand was perfect. Jane smiled so widely it must have hurt. The wolf knew he had done good. It was also his way of repaying his absences from the descendants of Merlin's allies.

"Thank you," she whispered to his mistress, drawing her into a gentle hug, "It's beautiful. I love... it."

Conry retreated back into the kitchen, followed by Bill and Charlie, when Ron presented Ginny, who was still starring at the wand in awe, with a pile of sweets she seemed to have expected all along. Neither did the twins bewitching potions made for dress-up really shock her. They tested one that put a horrid pink bow onto Jane's head. Even he had to suppress a grin when he spied her glowing pink mane through the doorway.

"We will visit the alley tomorrow," Molly told him when he took a seat at the already cleared table, Bill at his left. "Wouldn't want to get caught up in the crowds."

Conry nodded. "Thank you for your consideration," he said. "While mistress must one day face her agoraphobia, I wouldn't force her either. These things take time."

Arthur sneaked his way into the kitchen as well, having just returned from Ginny's room where he had placed his and Molly's present for their daughter. It was an entirely new wardrobe, something that the girl had truly needed since she had begun growing so fast. Conry knew that both felt guilty, if not ashamed, to have splurged as much money as they had on Ginny's birthday. Money that came from Jane's coffers. It had been a most tiring process to convince them that Jane would never need as much money as she had and that the Weasleys only were as poor as they were because of the purge. Aside from that, Conry had argued, they were formally allies now. Financial aid was merely something that entailed.

"We are all set for tomorrow," Arthur said, sitting down and thinking his wife for the cup of coffee she summoned for him. "Still, are you sure we should buy the books as well?" he asked, sipping from his cup. "They _are_ rather expensive and-"

"Please, Arthur," Conry said, almost sighing, "We already talked about this. Even if Jane wouldn't offer to, then I would. I have not done my duty to your family since Ciel passed. If need be, I shall pay myself. You can do naught but accepts this."

Arthur sighed, rubbing his temples. "I... suppose."

"I'm not really fond of this either," Bill said, "I mean... alliance or not, we didn't really do anything to earn all this."

Charlie nodded in agreement from the cold pantry, through which he was rummaging for something edible until his mother shooed him away. "We could step up, Bill and me, you know?"

Conry sighed. "I will not stop you, but know that the refusal would weigh on my mistress' heart."

Just then the door to the backyard opened and Luna Lovegood danced inside, a big basket balancing dangerously on her head. "Hello!" she chirped. "Luna came to see the birthday girl!"

So she spoke of herself in third person perspective. That was new, Conry noted. Liliths had always been on the more eccentric side but Luna seemed to top that easily. That aside... in that basket on her head... was that...?

Luna ignored his scrutiny with a quick grin and ambled past them into the parlor.

"What was that on her head?" Molly asked, apparently worried that it might be something dangerous.

"Something... exceedingly... fluffy," Conry said lamely. "Well, it will do no harm, I suppose. Though I do wonder where she found that one."

* * *

"What the effin' hell is that!?" Ron exclaimed, jumping off the couch when Luna placed the basket at Ginny's feet, which squeaked upon impact.

"A present!" the girl said in singsong voice. "Happy Birthday, Ginevra!"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Luna. Just... don't call me that."

"It's a beautiful name," Jane mumbled to herself from Ginny's left.

Luna wedged herself between Ginny and the armrest, the place Ron had occupied up until now, and pocked the basket with her bare feet. "Come on," she called out, "Don't be shy now!"

Something squeaked from within the basket, form underneath a baby blue blanket that covered whatever kind of thing Luna had dragged into Ginny's home.

"Luna...," Ginny began, "You haven't captured a garden gnome again, have you?"

Luna laughed loudly. "Of course not silly!" She bent down to the basket and nudged the blanket with her hands. "Come on! You'll love her!"

Something squeaked again, high pitched and terribly cute, before the blanket slid aside and something stuck it's head out.

" _Merlin's balls_!" the twins shouted.

Ginny was staring down into a pair of huge, blue eyes. It was... fluffy, no doubt. White fur covered just about everything she could see and two rather large, floppy, cat-like ears rested atop it's head. It had a tiny, tiny nose that twitched excitedly underneath all the fur, only visible as a pink dot. Ginny couldn't see if it had a mouth or teeth that would gnaw her fingers off so she refrained from trying to pet... it.

It, whatever the hell that was, wasn't big, maybe a bigger than the average cat. It had fury legs and, as the blanket slid off completely, two tiny, white feathered wings were brought to light, twitching lightly. All in all, it was really cute but a weird cat. With... wings?

"What the effin' hell _is_ that?" Ron repeated himself, peering over the backrest of the couch. "It won't bite me again, won't it?"

Ginny snorted as she remembered the Kneazle Luna had brought with her once. It had bitten Ron every time he tried to pet it. He wouldn't touch anything breathing that Luna brought with her since then. "Maybe," she said, "So just stay behind us, scaredy cat."

Ron jumped up in an instant. "I am not!"

To prove his point, he rounded the couch and crouched down besides the white... thing. Carefully he extended a hand and the wide blue eyes followed them with interest. The little nose twitched intensely as the animal sniffed Ron's hand.

Before it bit him.

"Gods freakin' dammit all for the love of-!"

"I like it," Ginny declared with a grin as the twins howled with laughter. "But what _is_ it, Luna?"

"Oh, you don't know?" Luna asked with the widest of grins. "But I bet you a nargle that Jane knows!"

Ginny wanted to argue that Jane couldn't even see it, but she supposed that Jane could probably tell anyways. Her senses were kinda astounding.

"It's a forest elikar," Jane said quietly, though she was just about ready to crouch down at the little animals side. "They... are very rare and are protectors of whatever they take a liking to, forests and lakes most of the time. They grow up to be as big as Conry." She held a hand out to the little white creature. It crooned, a noise somewhere between purring and humming, and pressed it's nose against her hand. "They can fly, you know?"

Ginny bent down to the elikar. "Hmm, fly.. can you now?"

Luna laughed. "Not yet, silly! It's too young!"

Ginny huffed. "Well, I didn't know that. So... you want me to keep it?"

"Oh you just have to!" Luna said airily. "The little one has waited so long to meet you! It was just too scared!"

"Meet me?" Ginny asked. "Why would it want to meet me?"

"It likes you," Jane said and added, "Not as much as I do, though," under her breath. "It's probably seen you from afar and wants to be your friend."

Ginny nodded slowly. "Is... that how it works? Well... I mean, why not? It's cute."

The elikar purred loudly and hopped out of the basket in Ginny's direction. Surprised, she reached out to catch it and placed it in her lap, where it at on it's hinds, observing it's surroundings.

"Well... should I name him... her?" Ginny asked, eyeing the way it's ears twitched.

"It's a girl," Jane assured, "And she already has a name, she just hasn't told you yet."

"That thing can talk?" Fred asked from the armchair. "You think we can teach her a few jokes, George?"

"You bet we will, Fred!" his twin agreed from the armchair next to him.

"I dare you to teach her tasteless jokes!" Ginny threatened. She locked eyes with the elikar. "So... what is your name, huh?"

It gurgled something, most definitely not a word Ginny had ever heard before.

"What...?" she asked after a beat of silence. "Did I... miss something?"

Jane giggled softly and Luna outright laughed. "You dummy!" the ashed haired girl crackled. "She said her name is Leea!"

Ginny stared at the little white creature, who appeared to pout. "It didn't!" she exclaimed. "You didn't!" she told the elikar directly. "Say it again!"

 _'Leea'_ purred loudly before she made the same noise again.

Jane giggled and Luna cracked up once more. "You are having me!" Ginny exclaimed before looking accusingly at the elikar. "And you too!"

The little creature purred loudly once more before it buried it's face in Ginny's lap, gurgling again.

Ron, still glowering at the ball of fur, huffed. "You see? Evil little thing!"

* * *

Conry would never say it out loud, but he was worried. He worried how Jane was going to take going to Diagon Alley. She had come a long way from when he had been reunited with her, but it may not be enough to defeat her anxiety. He would support her efforts with everything he had but he refused to stand by and watch her suffer. The trip to London had already taken it's toll on her. Conry didn't like seeing his mistress so stressed and on the morning of their trip, he watched Jane anxiously transfigure a pebble on the front porch into pitch black shapes. Sometimes he could recognize the shapes, leaves, apples and other fruit, but most of the time they didn't seem to be a thing he had seen before, outlandish shapes and edges that didn't from an object Conry could connect to one in his memory.

Once, however, Ginny drew closer from inside the house, the shape changed to a small ring, one that could have fitted on his mistress' finger, and gently pulsed in a warm golden light before she let the pebble return to it's original form.

A smile let her tense features soften and she turned around just as Ginny lept out of the front door, her hair a messy bun on her head that barely contained her hair and strands of it were basically everywhere. "Why didn't you wake me!?" she whined, grasping Jane's hand and pulling her up.

The girl blushed furiously for a moment before the skin contact eased almost all of the embarrassment. "You threatened to snog me unconscious," she purred. "And as much as I would have loved to, your mother wants to make it before the rush hours."

Ginny had the decency to blush before a feisty smile appeared on her lips. "Well, we still could-"

Conry decided to interrupt them. He found it rather interesting just how fast Ginny had become comfortable with the idea of this relationship and the included skinship. One would think they had known each other for ages. Yet it was just a side effect of Jane's rather strong affection for Ginny and probably the fact that elves liked to share with their mates, magic included.

Conry couldn't truly make out just how much of Jane's magic had made it's way into Ginny's body, but it seemed to already have an emboldening effect on both of them. Then again, Ginny may just be that bold of a girl. All female Weasley had been and there were precious little of them. In fact, Ginny was the first since Morgana's own granddaughter...

"Ill advised decisions, my ladies," he said from behind Jane's back. Instead of jumping in embarrassment, Ginny threw him a mutinous look and drew Jane closer. Conry barely kept the grin from splitting his face. "Molly is as good as here, with your brothers in tow."

Ginny sniffed rebelliously but didn't continue her advances. His mistress threw him a look (well, she faced him) and Conry was sure she would have rolled her eyes at him if she could comprehend the gesture.

"We are late!" Molly grumbled as she strode out of the door, all but yanking her youngest son out of the house, who looked like he had been fast asleep five minutes prior.

"Stop. Pulling. Mom!" he grunted after each step down, until he spotted Jane and produced a rather noteworthy blush.

Ah yes, the beauty of his mistress still managed to render Ron speechless at times. The embarrassment over his disheveled appearance, however, didn't last long for obvious reasons. When the twins, both appearing more or less singed, tumbled out of the house with feisty grins on their lips, Arthur and his two oldest sons were just about to open the doors of the old Ford Anglia for the rest of the family. Percy was already with them, his nose in a rather thick book that was propped up on the car's roof.

"Snap out of it, Ronnikins!" Charlie half shouts, half laughs, "We've got to go!"

Ron sputters , his fading blush returns and he stomps over to his brother with a fierce scowl.

Ginny laughs and even Jane can't help but let a small laugh escape her lips.

Molly beams at her, the sheer pride the woman seems to take in a child that is just short of a stranger to her rather impresses the old wolf. A family, he realizes. The Weasleys are becoming more than just allies. All of them, even the ever stoic Percy whom Conry had caught rearranging furniture to allow Jane easier passage in the house, they will be trusted friends and companions in the future. Conry had no doubt about it.

* * *

It was rather a mystery how the people of England knew what Jane looked like. Ginny wondered if they had simply aged a baby photo, but where would they have gotten it? If not for the blindfold, they surely would have already spotted her. Some looks did linger on her and Ginny could hear the whispers and heard "The girl who lived" be spoken once or twice. She was walking at her side, holding onto her hand rather firmly, but she seemed to manage. The alley wasn't even half as crowded as last year, but for that time of day, there were still a lot of people. Maybe there was an event of some kind?

Conry was walking on Jane's other side, towering over them all. He had his hands folded behind his ramrod straight back and his face was terribly serious. His eyes kept scanning the alley and, from time to time, fell on Jane to make sure she is still okay and he was generally scaring away everyone else. Bill and her dad were with them while her mom and the rest of the brothers were going ahead to buy new robes.

"Were are we going first?" she asked when they walked past Flourish & Blotts.

Bill fell back to her side. "We're heading straight for Gringotts. Apparently, this alliance we have with House Potter has a lot of reach. It notified the Goblins and now there are papers to sign."

"Against ample coin, of course," Conry added. "They will already have formulated a contract that makes the transfer of monies and properties a lot easier."

Her dad looked rather nervous and dabbed away some sweat with a handkerchief. "I only hope it doesn't have anything to do with the property."

They walked past Knockturn Alley and Ginny noticed how Jane's nose suddenly crinkled for a moment and Conry coughed once. She didn't smell anything bad...

"The property will be yours still," Conry says, sniffing in annoyance at whatever had invaded his nose. "Even though your forefathers had to give away your bonds after the purge claimed the hounds, you have managed to pay the costs and remained the sole owner. With this alliance, we will get rid of the bonds as well. The House Potter shall simply buy them. Once they're out of the Goblin's hands, it's over and done with."

Her dad looks terribly uncomfortable and even Ginny has to admit that all this money being thrown at them felt.. undeserved. Jane suddenly squeezed her hand and smiled nervously at her. "Don't worry," she said quietly, "your father is already paying us back by letting us stay with you."

"I suppose," Ginny relented. She couldn't really argue with that. Conry had told her that there were still people out there that sought to harm Jane, simply because she survived Voldemort. Ginny wondered in how much danger that put them exactly.

Last year Ginny hadn't been allowed into the bank, so she felt just the tiniest bit giddy at finally going to see the place her oldest brother worked at. The more than thirty steps of shiny marvel up to the two, huge oaken doors with golden runes inlaid into them were a wondrous side to see, no matter how often she saw them. The inside was the same. Marble and dark, polished wood everywhere but Ginny noticed the gold that was just about everywhere in the bank. The chandeliers, the lamps, every railing and every doorknob. The glasses most goblins wore, the rings on their fingers and even the ones they used. All of it was gold and for the first time, Ginny understood that they do so not for petty greed, but because gold was what fueled their magic.

It even made their greed understandable. To a degree.

"T-Twelve Galleons!?" she sputtered once the teller named his price for a private room. "That's gotta be a joke!"

Conry, who had been the one to address the hook nosed goblin, turned to her and smiled wryly. "Oh I assure you, Irontooth does not joke. In fact, it is only half the fee they usually demand."

The Goblin smiled a sharp toothed grin and... sure enough there was a fake tooth, one of iron perhaps, on full display. The Goblin rose a bit from his desk to peer down at Jane, who seemed terribly at ease in comparison to when they walked through the alley. Magic must really put her at ease, even if it was Goblin magic.

Irontooh said something that was definitely not English. It sounded harsh, too many hard and harsh 'clicking' noises, a dragging of the tongue as if he was lisping intentionally. Ginny wasn't surprised that Jane could respond in what she assumed to be Gobbledegook. It really didn't sound human at all. However, coming with Jane's ever pleasant and soft pitch, it was pretty interesting to observe her lips move to the absurd sound and her throat vibrate at every harsh, almost guttural rasping.

Whatever Jane said, it satisfied the Goblin immensely, for his smile grew even wider, and drew the attention from the otter tellers and even a few customers. While the Goblins stared at Jane with some kind of intense appreciation (or murderous intent, Ginny couldn't tell) the other wizards and witches gaped at the slight girl and the whispers returned. Conry merely waved his hand over her and suddenly the people seemed to forget about Jane and found that other things were a lot more interesting.

The Goblin Irontooth abandoned his desk, uncaring for the people who were standing in line behind them, and came around to guide them out of the atrium. Well, relations between Goblins and wizards had never been that good as far as she knew. Ginny stuck close to Jane and insisted on taking the girl's hand. As much as Ginny told herself that it was to put Jane at ease, in this foreign environment, it was just the other way around.

Irontooh rasped something at them, and Jane slightly bowed her head and returned what could have been question, judging from the way her voice rose a little in it's pitch in the end. The Goblin sighed and addressed them in English. Ginny squeezed Jane's hand in appreciation. It earned her one of these sweet, almost coy smile.

Ginny almost blushed.

"The next door to the right," Irontooth said gruffly, the distinct guttural rasp still audible in his English. "The Manager will come see you shortly."

The Goblin, who wasn't even half as tall as Jane, roughly pushed the first door to their right wide open and Ginny thought she had spied a golden shimmer in the air between the golden door knob and the goblins hand. They were ushered inside and before Ginny could turn around the door was already closed again, completely silent.

The private room had no shortage of gold and marble either but the enormous table, which was made wholly out of marble with golden lines flowing through it seemed a bit over the top.

"What's gonna happen now?" she decided to ask.

Bill sat himself down in a leather chair that stood off to the side of the room. "Now we wait. The manager is a busy goblin, I only ever met him once and I do work for him."

"He will be here shortly," Conry assured, taking Jane's hand and guiding her to the head to the table.

Ginny would have followed but her father kept her back. "You must sit with your brother for now. This is an official matter and the Goblins are very picky about proper things. That and they hand out fees for breaches in protocol."

Ginny frowned. "Okay, I guess." Keeping her eyes on Jane, she sat down heavily besides Bill, who grinned at her. "What?" she snapped grumpily.

His smile only grew. "Whoa there, little sis. You will get back to your girlfriend in a minute."

Ginny huffed and crossed her arms in front of her. Girlfriend. The word stuck in her head. Ginny hadn't thought about boyfriend and girlfriend things before. But... that was what she and Jane were, right? 'Cause... what friends snogged like that? Ginny was pretty sure that Ron and this Hermione he had talked about didn't snog and sleep in the same bed and... showered together and, ah... other tingly things. She licked her suddenly dry lips and never even noticed the slightly taller Goblin ever the room.

She felt like she shouldn't have been so... casual about all this. Jane did say that she liked her and put a lot of emphasis on it while kissing her senseless. For someone like Jane it seemed strange to be so trusting. Ginny wouldn't say she was the most approachable witch to go around and she was most certainly not a magical creature, which would have explained Jane's ease around her perfectly, like it did with Luna.

Then again, how Luna was a magical creature still eluded her. Conry did call her one. Were all people who were slightly barmy magical creatures? Was the headmaster one? That could explain these hideous magenta and yellow robes he had worn the other day.

Anyways, there had to be something that drew Jane to her. Because it sure as hell wasn't her charm. Flirting with Jane was already something rather funny but she hadn't done it until they got all touchy feely. So what did draw Jane? She had said something about her magic. And... didn't she overhear Bill and Charlie talk about elves a lot these days?

Ginny tried to think of something that could connect these two things, but she drew a blank. Great, now she felt stupid. Should at least know who and what her girlfriend is! Better pick up some books when she got the chance latter!

There was a sudden, loud clearing of the throat to her left, the opposite of where Bill was sitting, and Ginny almost jumped out of her skin.

* * *

Maybe it was a strange thing to do, but Jane rather liked the Goblins. As rough around the edges as they seemed, their magic was rather... cozy, one could say. Goblins were, despite outwards appearance, very caring beings. For their own, mind you, but very caring. They'd go the extra mile and add three more just to be sure their family is well cared for. The fact that they dislike most wizards just proved that. After all, the first rebellion only ever happened because some fool of a minister five generations after Merlin decided that all the gold shouldn't be handled by the goblins. The Goblins didn't just fear for their riches then, they feared for their life.

Anyhow, Jane could respect them. Her mother had offered up love and life to grant her daughter a chance and Jane would forever be grateful for that. The Goblins would do the same in a heartbeat, fight every war if only to save a single on of their own.

"The transfer will not be cheap," the manager told her in his native tongue. Jane wondered why Gringott II. didn't sound as happy about it as any other goblin would have. Then again, he was about half as old as Conry and should own more money than he'd ever need.

"Worry not," she responded kindly and as loud as she could muster the words, "For my gold to sustain Goblin magic is an honor to both me and the Houses Potter and Weasley." She really hoped he could understand her correctly, the distance between her and him was pretty great with this stone desk in between them. Jane wished Ginny's touch could embolden her to speak up but she had to settle for her presence in the room for now.

The Manager made a noise of approval, something most would mistake for a dismissive snort. "Gringotts appreciates your aid, Lady Potter. The transfer shall be made and the proper fee will be charged. May the roots of your magic grow ever stronger."

Jane smiled a little as she recognized the elven saying. "And may your Gold ever shimmer, Master Gringott."

The magic in the room acknowledged the contract and Jane could feel a few runes carry the magic down into the bowels of the bank. She couldn't help but feel proud then. Proud of the fact that she had handled this by herself. Conry had taught her all about the way Goblins traded and she felt she had done everything right. It was an achievement, albeit a small one, that felt like it was entirely her own. One of Jane Potter's, not just the Lady Emrys.

The Goblin rose from his seat opposite from her and left the room. She felt him bow his head to her as he passed and she almost returned the gesture but remembered that she was not to move away from her seat before the Manager had left. Once the door closed, she let a breath escape her.

"Masterfully done, mistress," Conry said proudly, pulling her chair back.

She smiled at him and took his offered hand to stand. "I remember having a good teacher."

He bowed his head, closer to her, and brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face that had been tickling her jaw since forever. "It was all just the theory. You, little mistress, left a grand impression on the Master Goblin. Be proud, milady."

She could feel just how proud he was. It made her smile all the wider. It was a step forward. Goblin's weren't as highly magical as the elves or merpeople, so it had indeed been a bit harder not to fidget or stutter. But she did it, and she would keep up the effort. She would joke with the twins, tease Ron, talk about dragons with Charlie and wards with Bill. She'd cook with Molly and tell Arthur all about the radio and the telly.

Back when she had been hidden away underneath the stairs and all she had to cling to was her aunt, all this had seemed impossible, a distant dream. Now, with Conry and all the magic in the world, Jane would move mountains and make sure that there would be peace.

Emrys thrummed in approval, pledging her support. It was not surprising that the absolute support of the greatest magical being in existence would make seem everything possible.

Jane smiled widely up at her wolf. "Where to next?"

* * *

Arthur had almost laughed out loud when his daughter jumped a foot into the air in fright. She must have been rather deep in thought.

"Come on," he said, keeping his voice straight, "We are finished here."

His daughter blinked and looked around in obvious confusion. Bill was laughing not so quietly from her other side and she glared defiantly at him. She jumped out of the chair and strode purposefully over to Jane, whose hand she took and drew into a loose hug.

At times, Arthur wondered if his daughter understood the gravity of all the seemed to surround Jane but then he saw this beautiful smile on her face and knew she would come to understand it in time. For now, she was happy, a happiness he had watched slipping as she had been forced to spend more and more time at home. It had been pretty bad for her last year when Ron had gone to Hogwarts as well. Jane had brought all the smiles and laughs back to his little girl.

He walked with Bill as they left the bank, curiously watching as many goblins inclined their head in Jane's direction. Even more curious was the fact that she returned every nod with one of her own and a pleasant smile. She must have left a strong impression with all of the goblins and, well, no other human (more or less human) that Arthur knew could claim the same.

Arthur chanced a look at his pocket watch, his fathers pocket watch, and noted that they had been in the alley for over an hour already. Molly and the boys must have finished buying and entirely new wardrobe for the whole family. No doubt word would spread about the blood traitors coming into money all of a sudden. That, added to the fact that Jane Lily Potter was sauntering though the alley with him, would make for an interesting day at the ministry, no doubt.

They passed the Ice cram Parlor when Arthur spied the lanky forms of his sons admits the crowd. They squeezed through the mass of people that had gathered in front of Flourish & Blott's, his wife leading them in their direction. Arthur didn't remember that many people being there before, so he observed the storefront.

"Gilderoy Lockhart's Autograph session," he read aloud from the sign that dangled above the entrance. It glowed a it, a hideous purple no less.

Bill groaned besides him, taking his sister and Jane in between himself and Conry. "Doesn't ma just love this bloke's books?"

Yes, there was something like that. Arthur distinctively remembered how Moll had saved up to buy a collection of the man's books just last year. If he remembered correctly, the man had an order of Merlin. "I suppose she does. His presence would explain this crowd."

Conry, one hand firmly on Jane's left shoulder, sighed. "Now imagine coming here when every other in the rush hours. I suppose this to be rather tame by comparison. Are you alright?" he asked, bowing his head down to Jane.

Her smile was weak, but it was there. "I-I'm okay," she said, barely loud enough for him to hear. "Just... stay close, okay?"

Whenever Arthur was reminded of just how hurt this girl was, he found himself to grow incredibly angry. He took a deep breath and clapped Bill on the shoulder. "If someone gets too close for comfort, do whatever you have to. I'll deal with the aftermath."

Bill's face hardened before he nodded resolutely. His hand slipped into his pocket where he kept his wand. Ginny's excitement seemed to have been replaced by a major distaste for crowds and she was scowling crossly at everyone in front of her, a firm grasp on Jane's entire right arm.

As they walked off to meet Molly and somehow get into the book shop, Arthur realized that he may have worried too much. Conry excluded an aura of absolute inaccessibility. Towering almost two head over everyone around them, his mere presence served to have people flinch back rather violently as he approached or passed. His cool, golden eyes quelled every attempted approach on Jane and so they met Molly with a surprising amount of space all around them right in front of the entrance.

"Well, that is rather unexpected," she remarked, casting a worried glance at Jane, who seemed to take this far better than last time, but Arthur was sure she was just putting up a brave front. Molly's eyes kept wandering to the picture of Lockhart and the queue that had formed to where he was giving autographs. "I hadn't heard about this on the wireless at all."

He smiled at his wife. "Go on, Molly," he said, "We can take care of the books." Thankfully, and courtesy of the headmaster, the Weasleys were already in possession of a list of everything their children would need for this year.

His wife smiled gratefully and guiltily at the same time. She squeezed Jane's hand and said a few hushed words, earning a semi-hug in response, before entering the fray.

Arthur noted that Ron and the twins fell into step in front of them while Percy and Charlie joined him at the rear.

"A lot of people seem to know who Jane is," Percy told him. "Mind you, that should be quite impossible."

Arthur sighed. "Oh yes, it should be. But after they made Godric's Hollow a memorial, baby photos turned up and, well, there are aging spells that work even on normal, non-magical photographs. If not for the blindfold, everyone would know already."

Percy scowled at a group of men that were staring at them, talking among themselves. "I am pretty sure that is illegal. A violation of basic privacy rights!"

Charlie huffed loudly. "Oh but these photos don't exist. Not officially, I'm sure."

Thankfully only one part of Flourish & Blott's was as painfully crowded as it seemed from the outside. Once they had squeezed past the crowd and deeper into the shop, it was far more bearable and easier to breath.

"Now the," he said to his sons, "You have your lists. Go collect your books." After a slight pause, he added, "And whatever else catches your fancy."

There was an excited glint in the twins eyes and Arthur reminded himself to restrict their access to any cauldron or source of fire. Percy made a beeline for the section with biographies and pieces on politics while charlie ventured towards the magical creature section. For a second it looked like Ron would head straight towards the quidditch section but he glanced back at Jane, who, while breathing easier, still didn't appear entirely comfortable in the shop, and stayed with them instead. Arthur felt immensely proud in that moment ad decided to maybe splurge a little for a new broom.

Conry, list probably perfectly memorized, headed off to collect the First year's books with Jane and Ginny. Ron decided to tag along, trying to look bored, leaving Bill and Arthur to themselves.

"Will she be okay?" his eldest asked, his eyes following Conry's easy to spot white head of hair.

Arthur hummed lowly in thought. "I must say, I'm surprised she's gotten this far. The poor girl had a panic attack before we even entered King's Cross. This here is worse and she's doing better. She's strong, Bill, and I'm not talking about her magic."

* * *

Conry found most books with ease. He had been in here about... twenty eight-ish years ago and it was mostly the same. To a degree, that was terribly sad. No new books, no knew knowledge found it's way into a wizard's hands here. He took the liberty of collecting Ginny's books in the same breath. They were the same after all. It amused him somewhat that young Ronald had taken it upon himself to accompany them. The boy wasn't the brightest of his brothers, but certainly no fool. He had a good heart, strong magic and courageous soul. A Weasley to boot. Ciel would have adored him. She had always admired the honest and hard working, the bold and brave. At times, he wondered what she had seen in him, the reserved and stoic wolf that wouldn't leave Merlin's side unless he was ordered to.

He was already carrying the books on potions and herbology when his hand skimmed over a book he hadn't seen before. Intrigued by a new addition to the history section, he took it from it's resting place and peered at the cover. He barely kept his face straight.

"Blood-bound Familiars and their inherit danger," he spat. The author was some pure blood fool. McCarter. Conry was sure to remember the name. Jane put her free hand against his chest. Her touch was cool against his boiling anger. "My apologize," he said quietly and was about to put the book back when Ginny grasped it first.

"That's what they wrote about... well, them, right?" she asked. When he nodded shortly, she did as well. "Then I'd like to keep it. I'm sure Percy'd be eager to help me sort through that rubbish and find something wrong with the legislation or something."

Conry blinked. Oh, what a devious streak the girl had. He grinned wolfishly. "You would make a good Slytherin, little Weasley. I'm impressed. Sadly, the laws that outlawed blood familiars are rather iron clad. The purge was issued after the wizengamot deemed u-, _them_ as too dangerous. Families caught with them were severely punished, like yours, and stripped of most of their wealth." It went unspoken that the Potters weren't caught but that was because the grey hounds faced the music before it could get connected to the family. No one had expected the leading wizards to wield magic that could destroy them. The Red hounds weren't as fortunate and were discovered on the Weasley clan's land. Same with the Black Hounds. Only him and Ciel had survived back then, for their brethren had hidden them away in the chambers underneath the properties.

Ginny nodded, taking the book and scowling at it as if it were a personal enemy of hers. Chuckling quietly to himself, the wizened wolf moved down to the next row, indicating to Ron a book about broom enchantment. He picked up books on transfiguration and charms before he realized where he'd get the books on defense against the dark arts. Conry cast a look across the shop to where masses of witches and even a few wizards were trying to get to the desk where the esteemed Gilderoy Lockhart was signing copies of his latest books.

Sadly, every Weasley brother needed one from him. Conry hadn't ever heard of the man nor had he read one of his books but the moving photograph of the blonde ponce that kept flashing blindingly white teeth annoyed him sufficiently enough to form an opinion anyways. He glanced down at his mistress, who was admirably keeping her shaky smile, and decided that this was as much as she could take. They weren't going to go over there. Conry looked up to find Arthur halfway to the crowd, looking for his wife. A small compulsion had him look in his direction.

He and Bill made their way over to them. "Yes?" the Weasley patriarch asked, apparently not angered by the charm the wolf had cast.

"It seems that we will need to enter the fray as well," the wolf said dryly. "Though I will not force my mistress through that. I'd like to ask you to pick up all these books." A piece of paper formed in the air between them, a list with the names of four different books, all of them written by Lockhart. "Sadly, the dark arts section is just, uh, behind all of them."

Arthur heaved a sigh. "Well..." He turned to his oldest son. "Shall we then?"

Bill smiled wryly. "For our maiden," he chanted halfheartedly, but with good humor.

Ginny hid a gleeful smile behind her hand and Ron outright snorted. Conry sent him a sideways glance. "Would you like to accompany them?" he asked casualy.

"Uh... I, uh... no?" Ron backpedaled, taking a step into the opposite direction.

"I thought so," Conry declared with a feral grin as they watched Arthur and Bill dive into the masses.

* * *

Molly elbowed her way past a quite portly witch and finally, after eight minutes of trading blows, came out at the desk Lockhart was sitting at. His dazzling smile and steel blue eyes were even brighter than the photos portrayed them to be. The book she had managed to get her hands on ( _"Dinner with Succubi"_ ) was clutched against her chest in a death grip. Five times some wench had tried to steal it! Five times! The blonde woman in front of her giggled dreamily as Gilderoy singed her book with a flourish.

Molly managed to pass to the front and may or may not have tripped some cow on her way. A little ruffled and out of breath she almost fell onto the table Lockhart was sitting behind.

"Hello," she breathed, almost wheezing. The air was getting rather thin in here.

He flashed her a dazzling smile. "Why hello to you as well, madame..." He gestured for her to introduce herself.

"Molly," she said, almost forgetting herself, "Molly Weasley!"

"Brilliant!" he declared, taking the book from her hands and flipping to the first page where there was an line already designated for his signature. His hand, already armed with a lilac quill, signed the words _"For Molly Weasly, adoring fan of Gilderoy Lockhart_ _"_ in an almost artistic script.

Molly was only the slightest bit put off that he had written her family name wrong but had not time to correct him for she was already rudely bumped out of the way.

Unfortunately for her, she almost fell right into the arms of one Narcissa Malfoy.

* * *

When Arthur and Bill managed to fight their way into the center of the crowd, there was a sudden opening and Arthur almost fell flat on his face. Bill stumbled into the free space after him, the hand print still red on his right cheek from a rather angry female in the crowd who had accused him of copping a feel. Given that she was a rather beautiful specimen and Bill rather hot blooded, Arthur wasn't sure how righteous the attack had been.

"You spiteful wench!"

"Ragged cow!"

That, at least on of them, was definitely his wife's voice. Arthur feared the worst. He turned his head and saw Molly... wrestle with... Narcissa Malfoy? "What in the blazes is going on here!?" he managed, loud enough for Molly to hear him.

It distracted her long enough for the Malfoy woman to land a rather hard kick to his wife's shin. Arthur shot to his full height in affront. "Molly!"

As he hurried over to his wife and tried to disentangle her screeching and nagging body from the huffing and puffing Malfoy women, a man strode into the opened space opposite from Bill.

"Cease this nonsense this instant!" the tall, belach blonde man bellowed, his ornate, snake-headed cane cracking angrily against the wooden floor.

Arthur, his hands full with his fuming wife, raised his head. His surprised eyes narrowed immediately. "Lucius," he hissed.

"Arthur," the Malfoy returned icily. "What is this? Can't your wife keep herself in check? Or has poverty driven her to try and steal from my family?"

Molly bristled and roughly disentangled herself from him. Bill came to stand with them while Narcissa tried to rearrange her black and silver dress robes on her way to her husband. His wife and Malfoy's began trading insults again, about pushing and inabilities to walk, think or other implied disabilities until Suddenly Conry walked into the middle of them.

His sudden appearance, towering form and dangerous eyes halted the verbal battle before it could escalate. He said not a word, but observed them coolly, apparently not taking any sides. "This is neither the place nor the time for this." His voice seemed to silence everyone else in the room. His pristine posture and sharp features brooked no room for arguments.

Lucius Malfoy however didn't seem to be intimidated by the man that tower almost three heads over him. "And who might you be to interfere?" he demanded brusquely.

The crowd around them seemed to feel that something was not quite right and many vacated the shop to escape the oppressive atmosphere. Lockhart, however, remained sitting at his table, that happened to be quite close to the center of attention. His smile faltered a bit as more and more people simply walked away, fearing a duel.

Arthur took the opportunity to scan his surroundings for the rest of his family. All of his sons minus Bill stood in front of Ginny and Jane, the latter seemed to try and shrink into the book shelve she was standing against. The people all pressed past them and Arthur could see why Conry seemed none too pleased with this situation.

"It is of no matter to you, Malfoy, who I am," Conry said, golden eyes focusing on Lucius. "What does matter, however, it that I am here to finish my mistress' shopping. This spat if over now."

Malfoy made a face and Arthur could see his hand reach into his robes. Both he and Bill had their wands draw before Malfoy's even left his robes. Narcissa made a startled noise and back away while Lucius' eyes narrowed dangerously. They left Conry to focus on Arthur, which the Weasley man thought rather foolish.

"It's always the same with you, isn't it, _Weasley_?" he spat. "First this rubbish Muggle Protection Law and now a public brawl with my wife!"

Arthur's eyes narrowed in response. "Oh? Didn't like that they searched the manor? Could it be that you did hide something? Well maybe we should look again then, shouldn't we, Lucius?"

Malfoy drew a wand from the head of his cane. "You impudent-!"

" _Enough_!" Conry thundered, his voice echoing painfully loud in the almost empty shop. He turned to Arthur. "We are leaving, Arthur."

Malfoy leveled his wand at Conry's retreating back but before and words could leave his lips, his wand was snapped in half by an unseen force. As Lucius cursed extensively and Narcissa fumed after them, Arthur and Bill wearily followed the white haired man. Molly had already hurried over to the children and the people were returning to the shop after the danger had passed.

"I see you have some kind of spat going with the Malfoys," Conry remarked, "I must say, I'm not surprised. They have never been the most sociable of people. Were one of the first ones to start this pure blood rubbish just as well."

Arthur nodded grimly. "Lucius was a death eater in the last war. He escaped by claiming he was under the Imperius curse and tries to pass all these ridiculous laws to keep the...ehm, first generation wizards and witches from society." He looked up and flinched when he saw the expression of feral fury in Conry's eyes. His pupils were thin slits, eyes narrowed and his canines seemed to have sharpened considerably as he snarled straight ahead.

"Then he will have to pray not to give me a reason to exterminate him," the wolf growled. "Let us leave, milady doesn't have to be here any longer than necessary."

* * *

The return to the Burrow was a bit subdued. Jane, exhausted as she was, was asleep against Ginny's shoulder, who scowled like all of her brothers.

"Malfoy's a right git," Ron growled. "A little ponce, no better than his father, the pompous arse!"

"Language, Ronald," Molly chastised weakly, a thoughtful expression on her face.

Arthur's grip on the steering wheel was vice-like, his face stony as he drove steadily onto the property. Conry, who sat to Jane's left by the window, seemed rather at ease.

"Be at ease," he told the family. "I have my research on the elder Malfoy, if only a little." He shrugged. "His political influence is remarkable but rather brittle. Strip him of is money and it's all gone. The Potter's influence can sway his hold on the ministry easily."

"Really?" Arthur asked, perplex.

"Not yet," Conry relented. "Mistress is too young to take to the political stage and after the ruckus today, I'm pretty sure I missed a few cameras." Molly blushed and a nervous cough escape Arthur. "No worries," the wolf said, "they would have heard of mistress' return anyways. One way or another."

Bill sighed loudly. "Still, this could have ended with less commotion. Think it'll be lots of press at King's Cross?"

"Of course," Conry said gruffly, "but they won't be a problem, not to any of us."

Ginny hoped he was right, playing with the fingers of Jane's right hand. They curled around hers whenever she let them. "Can't we just travel to Hogwarts another way?" she asked.

"I could arrange that," Cory admitted, "But... it is imperial that the people know that Jane traveled to Hogwarts."

"But why?" Ginny asked heatedly, "She could barely stand the alley! On September there'll be hundreds of students and people!"

Conry looked at her sadly. "Mistress' return will ruffle some feathers. There is a war coming and milady will be the very center of it. It is her destiny."

Ginny scowled mightily at him. Jane was so frail! How could she stand all that?

"She will need your help," the wolf said as they rolled into the shed at the Burrow. "All of yours," he continued, addressing them all. "We are approaching dark times and it milady that will have to lead us out of them."

Ginny tightened her hold on Jane's hand. "So be it then," she whispered. "But she won't be alone."

There was a conviction in her eyes, a fire Conry hoped would survive even the darkness to come.

* * *

 **A/N: Here we go. Hogwarts is up next. I've decided to keep canon going in the background while everything is happening so I'll have to think about how I'll do all the Chamber of Secrets stuff.**

 **Anyhow, unless you can suggest a animagus form it'll be a wolf pup, reddish fur with a grey underbelly and emerald green eyes.**

 **It isn't decided yet what house we sort Jane and Ginny into, but there's a poll up, I think. Vote if you can.**

 **:3**


	12. Chapter 12

_"Merlin? Merlin! Are you there? I must- BY THE ANCIENT ONES!"_

 _Morgana entered the vaults under Camelot only to be immediately forced to duck underneath what appeared to be a half molten sapphire that came flying right at her. The room, the one Arthur had so graciously assigned Merlin as a laboratory, was filled with thick, black smoke. A fire was clearly burning in the center of the circular vault where a desk was supposed to be._

 _"Merlin!" she called out again, her voice rather irate. This happened far to often for her liking. "What in the name of Lilith did you do!"_

 _Morgana brusquely waved her hand though the smoke, which immediately dispersed and was pushed out of the door. The desk, now nothing but smoldering remains, was still burning, so she made to extinguish it, when Merlin suddenly jumped out of a pile of books that had accumulated in the back of the lab, directly across from her._

 _"Don't!" he cried and the magic that had gathered in her hand dispersed. "I almost had it!"_

 _"You mean you almost burnt through the flagstone," Morgana noted dryly. "What are you trying to accomplish with this?"_

 _Out of the pile of books Conry crawled, the fur on top of his head was still smoldering slightly. "A staff-... milady," he said, half coughing. "One that Vivien proposed we make."_

 _Morgana nodded, glancing around the room, which was a mess as usual. "Where is she, by the way."_

 _"I'm right here," an ethereal voice said from the doorway. A tall, slender woman in a flowing white gown entered the vault. Her features were unusually sharp, her eyes glowed in a soft red color and her almost white hair seemed to float as if she were under water. She smiled at Morgana. "Sister, you didn't think I would stay close enough to my dearest husband when he plays with fire."_

 _"And blowing up sapphires of immeasurable value," a rather deep, female voice added. A woman, easily over six feet tall with short, stark white hair and golden eyes entered the room behind Vivien. She fixed the grey wolf with a withering stare. "I hope you did not suggest this, love."_

 _The wolf whined pathetically before he bounded towards his mate. He transformed mid run into a man even taller than the woman, though he cowered before her and seemed rather small in comparison._

 _"Ciel, my love," he began, "I swear I only told him that sapphires-"_

 _"Traitor!" Merlin hissed lowly as he brushed soot from his burnt robes._

 _"- would be excellent to stabilize the progress!" Conry finished without even pausing at his masters comment._

 _"So it was your fault," Ciel concluded._

 _Conry didn't answer, just looked like someone had kicked him in the groin._

 _Morgana chuckled to herself. Thank the ancient ones that she and Tristan weren't like that. Right...? Anyhow, she had come here with business._

 _"Merlin, as nice as it is to see that you are still trying to burn down Camelot, we finally need to do something about all this hiding and running."_

 _Merlin's green eyes hardened. "I told you before, they aren't ready yet."_

 _She sighed in irritation, watching as Vivien glided across the room and inspected whatever still smoldered in the fire. "Our people can't live like this, cowering in fear. The people of Camelot don't fear magic! We could-"_

 _"Morgana," Merlin interrupted, his voice hard. "The world doesn't just consist of Camelot. The people here have seen the good in magic. Others have experienced nothing but darkness. It would be our end as well as Camelot's. Arthur can't sacrifice his people just to aid us."_

 _Morgana scowled at him, eyes narrowing. "You can't seriously want us to live like this! Your children will have to grow up in hiding! Mine will! I won't let this happen! I won't cower in the shadow of those we protect!" She stormed out of the vault, gesturing for Ciel to follow her. Conry looked on sadly as they left._

 _Merlin called after her. "You are making a mistake, Morgana! Don't force this!"_

 _She didn't turn around._

 _Maybe she should have._

 _\- Two weeks before the Fall from Grace_

* * *

The following issue of the Daily Prophet was a glaring reminder of just how much of a celebrity Jane truly was. No less than eight pages had been filled with pictures and ridiculous stories about her growing up, though Conry did cough rather suspiciously at the "Dragon Slayer Girl" Article. On the front page, covering most of it, was a picture of Jane, the one moment she had been apart from Ginny. The Weasley girl was half a mind to keep it. It showed her reading a book (with her fingers, mind you) before putting it away, turning in the general direction of the camera and smiling rather brilliantly.

Most of the articles however concerned her obvious lack of sight, and, much to Ginny's annoyance, rumors about possible romances. With that Malfoy git no less! The ponce hadn't even been there!

Ginny was fuming silently until Jane, with whom she was alone in the parlor, draped herself across her lap, stealing a kiss.

Well, who even cared for Draco Malfoy?

What did bother her, however, was the statement Lucius Malfoy supposedly made, saying that there was indeed a contract in existence that would see his son and Jane wed. The whole household had been advised not to mention that particular bit of information to the wolf that kept growing to himself on the front porch. As much as it had been his idea, Ginny could see that he didn't like the garnered attention anymore than Jane did.

The headmaster was supposed to visit today. Jane's condition as immense magical power proved to make accommodations at Hogwarts a bit difficult. Her lack of sight wouldn't be much of a problem, given that Ginny wouldn't leave her sight, but the fact that Jane's magic could possibly _overload_ the wards around Hogwarts and drive the creatures in the forbidden forest crazy was a problem.

"What can they even do about that?" Ginny asked her after Conry told them about it.

Jane shrugged, occupying herself with Ginny's collarbone. The Weasley swallowed thickly. Should her touch be this warm? "Maybe they want me to do the wards," he said offhandedly, kissing her ear, "And I could always talk to the creatures in the forest. I've always _loved_ unicorns."

Somehow Ginny felt like Jane wasn't talking about unicorns. Not that she would complain. Then again... wasn't she herself part unicorn? She grinned at the thought.

The door to the kitchen opened rather suddenly and Jane, upon hearing the sound of the hinges squeaking, flinched violently and nearly fell off Ginny's lap and onto the couch cushion next to her. Ginny felt the need to glower at Ron, who entered the parlor with a tablet full of steaming mugs. Judging by the smell, it had to be chocolate. She still glowered at him. Jane just tasted better than all the hot chocolate in the world.

He had the decency to look sheepish. "Uh... sorry?"

"You better be," she huffed, eyes darting to the terribly red Jane.

He laughed, more amused than actually embarrassed and placed the tablet of hot chocolate on the table. He even held out the mug for Jane. Her nose twitched visibly and she took it from him. What left both Ginny and her brother aghast, was that their hands touched and Jane didn't so much as pause. That, Ginny noted, was progress.

* * *

In the end, no one could stop Conry from finding out what the elder Malfoy had said to the press. The room had lost all it's warmth and the lights flickered out but aside from that, he did nothing. In fact, he informed them rather calmly that he would have a word with the Prophet about this. The Potters apparently had stocks in the newspapers and that was certainly more than the Malfoys could claim.

Jane was very pleased with herself when August came to an end and she had manaded to deal with the issues Hogwarts could have had with her presence. She was proud to say that she was able to talk to Ron and his brothers without Ginny having to be present. Sure, she stuttered a but but who cared? Conry was so proud of her, it radiated over into her very mind and she couldn't help but feel proud as well. That being said, she had also been allowed to help Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen. For one, she rather liked cooking. Also, she was very happy with being able to make food for Ginny.

 _And then taste it off her lips._

Safe to say, Jane had never been this happy before. There was rarely a moment she didn't manage to smile or even joke with Fred and George. They were still confused how she managed to tell them apart, though. Less and less she had to rely on Emrys to bring her thoughts out of her mouth and the Lady was immensely pleased by this. Every now and then she would still teach them a thing or two but when it came to magical creatures, it was Jane who told them why unicorns had a horn or why Nargles came always as at least three of a kind (which had been Luna's question that day).

But even all this newfound confidence, self worth even, wasn't really enough to make going to King's Cross easy.

* * *

They had left early, for the first time Arthur could remember the Weasley family had left early for something, and were all tucked away in the car before the sun had finished rising. Ron, who usually was the laziest of them all, had been the first one awake. Molly thought she had seen a ghost in the kitchen, making coffee. She had almost hexed Ron before Arthur manged to convince her that it was just Ron rising early.

Even to him it sounded odd.

"Trying to score with Janey are we, Ronniekins?" the twins teased him, sitting to either side of him, elbowing him more or less gently.

He managed not to flush, Arthur noted in rear-view mirror. "No!" he said forcefully, "I just didn't want us to run late this time!"

The twins and Ron continued their ribbing, sitting at the left window. Magically expanded as the backseat was, Percy and Conry found place in the middle while his daughter and Jane had the right window to themselves.

They were whispering, giggling and exchanging these small touches here and there, patting Ginny's new pat from time to time, but the closer they got to London the more tense Jane began to look. He couldn't fault her, even if they arrived early, they wouldn't be the only ones. He frowned at the car in front of them.

"Listen up boys," he said, his frown slipping into a determined scowl. "Once we get out of this car we take Ginny and Jane in the middle of our group. No one gets through, be it a reporter or Morgana herself. Use a bit of elbow if you have to."

His sons all nodded, Fred and George seemed rather eager to spread some bruises to noisy paparazzi and Conry met his eyes in the mirror with nothing but approval and thankfulness. Even Jane seemed to relax a bit at the prospect.

"We're as good as there," Molly said, "And you'll be on the express before you know it." Out from the corner of his eye, he could see that she was trying not to shed any tears. Arthur already knew that she was going to cry her eyes out.

If Arthur remembered correctly, they would meet Luna and her father, Xenophilius Lovegood, in front of the station. And on the platform itself they would meet Hermione with her parents. Ron seemed rather excited about that. Hopefully his crush on Jane would not affect whatever he could feel for his classmate.

Magic be praised, they got a parking lot on the opposite side of the main entrance. That meant they could literally sneak in if they didn't mess that up. Weasleys had never been known to sneak around, after all.

"We will be fine," Conry assured him. "If need be, I will simply let us vanish. They won't waste a thought about mistress then."

Arthur sighed. "And you're sure you can't just do that anyways?" he asked hopefully. He didn't want to put Jane through this.

"I am as displeased as you are," the wolf assured him, narrowing his eyes. "But the world must know of mistress' return. One way or another, this has to happen."

He sighed again. "I hope you are right."

"No," the wolf said as he helped Jane out of the car, "It pains me to say that I know I'm right."

* * *

Hermione was anxiously awaiting her friends arrival. Her _only_ friend's arrival. She never had many-... _any_ friends, really, before she got to go to Hogwarts. She just didn't seem to get along with people. Ron, however, had proven not to be just _people_. He was a bit gruff, insensitive at times, but a good guy. That and she may owe her life to him, given that he had saved her from a troll. A huge one at that. She had looked up how big these got and the specimen he knocked out with it's own cub had definitely been on the larger side.

She wouldn't have had such a good, if a bit scary, year without him. She learned a lot of stuff about magical people from him, but he didn't seem to like talking about his family in comparison to others. Given that he wore... well, second hand clothing, she supposed that his family wasn't especially well off by comparison. That aside, she had never been so thoroughly been beaten in chess by anyone before, not even her teachers! It was kind of amazing...

"Are you alright, dear?" her father asked, obviously still shocked after walking through the barrier.

She smiled at him, her newly fixed teeth proudly displayed. "Of course I am! I'm just so excited!" Knowing her father, it was better not to mention that she was excited to see a boy... even if it was just a friend.

Her mother mussed her hair. Hermione immediately batted the hand away. "Mom!" she huffed. "My hair is already frizzy enough, thank you very much!" She never could seem to get them even remotely straight. Even though they were as bushy and curly as they were, her hair was still remarkably soft, something she was somewhat proud of.

Her mother laughed, not taking her hand from her daughters head. "Mom!" she whined. "I'm almost seventeen!"

"And I will miss you on your birthday party," her mother said. "Know that there will be cake."

She rolled her eyes. "Is it sugar free?"

"Why yes," her mother confirmed. "What else would it be?"

Hermione groaned. "I don't know, tasty perhaps?"

Her father snorted violently, trying to hides his laughing from his wife. Hermione smiled triumphantly at them when she caught a mass of red stumbling though the barrier. She wanted to call out to him but... would that even be okay? Instead, she took to shuffling her feet while looking expectantly his way.

He and who had to be his brothers were making their way through the crowd that was beginning to form without even stepping to the side. It seemed rather... rude, the way they elbowed their way towards the train that had arrived not ten minutes prior.

She was all but ready to tell him how rude it was to elbow ones way through crowded places when she saw the girl that he and his brothers were huddled around. She was... unbelievably beautiful. A girl with the same shade of red as Ron's hair was guiding her along and kept glancing over her shoulder. If she remembered correctly, that was Ginny, his sister. So who was the other girl? And... was she wearing a blindfold?

That would explain why they kept people out of the way and Hermione decided not to lay into him. She felt that they were close enough now and made to approach them but just then a mass of people all but fell through the barrier. All of them carried a camera of varying size and were obviously either reporters of photographers. What were they doing here?

Her father pulled her back as the horde of a good dozen reporters loudly searched for "Jane Potter!" or "The-Girl-Who-Lived!".

 _Jane Potter?_ Wasn't that... she read all about her! She had single-handedly vanquished the Dark Lord whose name no one wanted to say anymore. Hermione, however, was skeptical if an infant girl could really somehow defeat an evil wizard that no one else had managed to defeat. She liked to think that her parents must have done something that had protected her from a spell that no one should have been able to survive.

Anyhow, the girl seemed to be something of a celebrity in the wizadring world, there were two dozen books about her and they even sold t-shirts with silly puns on them, like "Potted that Dark Lord" and "The-Girl-Who-Singed-My-Shirt". Rather tasteless, Hermione thought.

She watched as the reporters spotted Ron and his family, immediately breaking into a sprint to catch up with them.

"No way," she said to herself. The blindfolded girl was Jane Potter?

An unusually tall man suddenly split from Ron's family. He towered over them all, surely seven feet tall. Why hadn't she seen him? He had white hair for Joe's sake! As he intercepted the mass of reporters, who all seemed to be unable to run past him, she heard Ron call out to her.

"Oi! 'Mione!" He was waving at her while the twin brothers behind his back were cutting grimaces.

"Hello Ron!" she returned, not as loud as she had hoped.

She could already feel her father's eyebrows rise. Ron and what seemed to be all of his brothers and even parents made their way over to them at a far more sedated pace than before. Had they been chased by the reporters? Well, there was one thing that her world and the wizarding one had on common.

"How has your summer been?" she asked him pleasantly, tying not to stare at the girl that more or less hid behind his back while Ginny talked quietly to her.

He glanced over his shoulder and Hermione couldn't help but follow his gaze. Christ... she was really, really beautiful... almost ethereal, even if one couldn't see her eyes! "Oh, you know... nice and bl- _pretty_ interesting."

She was pleased to note that he had refrained from cursing. "I can imagine," she said, eyes still resting on Jane. Hermione imagined how her summer would have been if some celebrity showed up.

"And yours?" he asked, eyes flickering to her father ever so often.

She turned around to scowl at him. "Dad!" He was glaring at her friend! He shook his head innocently but Mr. Weasley came over to greet him.

While they exchanged pleasantries, she turned back to Ron. "It was great. Spain is a beautiful country. And I... missed you." Hermione almost bit her tongue. Letting stray thoughts escape her mouth was usually not something that happened! At least not the private ones!

As Ron opened his mouth only to close it again, it was his sister who came to both of their rescue. "I doubt you'll miss the oaf after another year, he's a prat after all." Ron huffed indignantly but she ignored him. "I'm Ginny, nice to finally meet you in person. You wouldn't believe how much he talked about you or how he saved you from a troll."

"H-He did?" Really? Oh my!? Her heart was going just a tad faster, no need to worry! "Uhm, I, well, he was rather brave," she mumbled. She shook her head and took Ginny's outstretched hand. "Yes, well, It's nice to meet you too."

Ginny elbowed her brother, who groaned in mock pain. "Don't mind him," she said. She turned her head in Jane's direction, apparently thoughtful. "You see...," she began, "My... friend here isn't very good with new people and she really hates crowds." The Beautiful redhead shuffled her way out from behind Ron's back, who was getting egged on by his twin brothers.

"Hermione, meet Jane."

She noted how Ginny let the family name drop so she didn't press it. It wasn't like she hadn't already figured it out, after all.

"It's nice to meet you," she said, hopefully as gentle as she could.

Jane's head swiveled to meet her's as if she were looking at her. She clung to Ginny's entire right arm like her life depended on it but smiled shakily back at her.

"H-Hello," she almost whispered, Hermione had barely even heard her. "Nice to meet you..." She trailed off, flinching as a camera flashed rather loudly.

"You will not step any closer!" a man thundered, loud enough to ring clearly throughout all of the platform.

Hermione and most likely everyone else turned towards the white haired man, who was making a point by crushing the light bulb of a reporter's camera. He looked absolutely livid, his _golden_ eyes shining with power. Hermione was amazed that was actually possible. Even Dumbledore's eyes, who was said to be the most powerful wizard alive, only twinkled gently.

Jane perked up at his voice and as she stood a bit taller, Hermione noted that she was actually bigger than her. The girl whispered something she didn't get but the white haired man's head immediately snapped in her direction. With an all but casual wave of his hand, the assembled reporters froze in place, as if encased in ice. A few people gasped in outrage but no one seemed to be brave enough to speak out against the towering man.

Ron stepped to the side, closer to Hermione, and let the man take his place.

"Conry," she heard Jane whisper weakly as she grasped his vest firmly, "I... I think this is as far as I can go."

The man, Conry, bent low to place his head atop hers. "Of course, mistress. The train awaits."

A woman that Hermione suspected to be Mrs. Weasley captured each of her four sons in hugs that looked rather painful. And... did she imagine it or had something cracked audibly when she squeezed the air out of Ron?

Her own mother placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you boarding the train with them?"

She smiled at her mother. "Yes," she said. "I'll see you on Easter holidays."

Hermione could still breath while her mother hugged her. Same couldn't be said for Ginny, it seemed, who started to turn blue. "And don't you dare fooling around with them boys," her mother whispered heavily into her ear.

Her face felt like it had just been exposed to the sun for an inordinate amount of time. "Mom!" she cried.

"Don't you fool yourself," her mother said, still hugging her, "You are a beautiful young women!"

Oh no, was she crying? "Don't start crying mom!" she pleaded, voice thick. "I'll start too!"

Her mother let go of her furiously dabbing at her eyes with the sleeve of her blouse. "I'm not, I'm not." She sniffed audibly. "Just be sure to come back to us."

"And without a baby at that."

"Dad!" she shrieked, scandalized.

"I'm kidding!" he said drawing her into a hug. "Actually, I'm not," he whispered into her ear. "You will always be my little girl. And little girls don't have children."

 _Oh no, no, no! That was so embarrassing!_ She disentangled herself from her father, more or less scowling at him. "Dad!" she repeated indignantly. "I'm almost seventeen!"

"But only almost!" her father insisted. "Now go, before I change my mind."

Hermione's frown turned into a smile. "I'll miss you!" she called out to them even as she was excitedly hopping towards the train.

"Bye Bye daddy!" a girl with ashen hair and silvery eyes called out to an equally ashen haired man in patchwork robes.

"Keep away from the Munchers!" her father called after her, "They'll take all of your money!"

"Okay daddy!"

Hermione had never heard of "Munchers" before but was busy following after Ron, who was just now entering a wagon. He turned around, apparently looking for her.

"Come on 'Mione!" he called loudly once he had spotted her, "We've got to secure ourselves a compartment!"

She felt her face flush. "Don't shout so loudly, Ron!" Still, she couldn't help but smile. This would be a good year, she just knew it!

* * *

Even though they had arrived early, many compartments were already occupied, at least on the side of the train they had entered. Ginny kept glancing and glaring around them as she guided Jane through the wagons. The eyes of dozens of students followed them on their way and with every step Jane kept getting worse. Suddenly an older student barged out of a compartment a few doors ahead of them and all but shouted, "Look! It's Jane Potter!"

Jane flinched so violently, Ginny had almost lost her grip on her hand. With an annoyed growl and a withering glare in the direction of the fool ahead of them, Ginny decided to simply enter the next compartment to their left. Thankfully, after almost shattering the window glass, it was revealed that the only occupant was a girl with blonde hair and chillingly blue eyes. She merely nodded at them so Ginny dragged Jane inside and was followed by Hermione, Luna and Ron.

The twins had met their friend Lee Jordan on the way and Percy was on prefect duty. The moment the door closed, Conry appeared in front of it. The blonde girl didn't seem to notice him. He knelt down in front of Jane and pressed his forehead against hers, making a soft whining noise.

"What's wrong with these people?" Hermione huffed. "Can't they see she's distressed?"

Ginny, sitting between Jane and the blonde girl, wondered how Conry managed to go unnoticed like that, held Jane's hand tightly which seemed to help her calm down considerably. "Like damn vultures," she muttered harshly.

Conry rose to his feet, his head almost hitting the ceiling of the wagon. "I hid this compartment for the moment. No one can look through the windows and no one can hear us."

"You will have to teach me how to do that," Ginny mumbled.

The wolf smiled at her before glancing at the blonde girl, who seemed content with ignoring them for the moment. "Ah, the heiress Greengrass," he said, which seemed to draw her attention.

Her eyes widened a bit but showed no surprise other than that. Ginny considered herself impressed. "I am, yes. Daphne Greengrass. A pleasure Mr...?"

Conry bowed formally and Ginny had no idea what was going on. Jane seemed to listen to them. "My name, Miss Greengrass, is Conry. I am but milady Potter's loyal retainer."

Daphne's eyes were inevitably drawn to Jane. She seemed to study her for a moment before she just nodded. "I see. It's an honor to meet the Lady Potter. Though I must admit, I had thought to see her last year already, as had most of the school."

Ginny saw Hermione, who sat directly across from her besides Ron (who didn't seem to care much for Daphne's presence), perk up at that.

Conry merely smiled lightly at Daphne. "Milady and I had business to attend to."

Daphne seemed to recognize a dismissal when she heard it and just nodded. She smiled slightly and returned to looking out of the window again but noticed Ron looking at her.

"Weasley," she said, nodding at him.

Ron seemed taken aback for a moment before returning the nod. "Greengrass."

Silence settled in the compartment and Ginny was glad for it. Conry had sat down across from Jane, his long legs barely fitting between the two of them, but Jane obviously took a great deal of comfort from the contact.

Luna, whom Ginny had entirely forgotten for a moment, suddenly seemed to pop up on Jane's other side. She held out a magazine for her and it took Ginny a moment to realize that it wasn't yet another issue of the Quibbler, but the Witch Weekly.

Right! She had asked Luna to bring her one! Ginny grabbed it eagerly and thanked Luna quietly, but caught Conry staring at her with mild amusement. "What?" she dared to ask.

His smile widened even further but he said nothing, instead taking Jane's hand which had been resting in his knee.

Scowling defiantly at him, Ginny read the headline of the magazine. _"The Magic of Relationships!"_ Well, this was still better than asking her own mother for advise, wasn't it?

* * *

Daphne Greengrass was only the slightest bit overwhelmed, not that anyone could tell. Meeting the famous Jane Lily Potter, the Girl-Who-Lived and Lady of the most ancient and venerated house Potter had not been on her to-do list for the day. The fact that she was in the presence of a celebrity didn't bother her as much as the sheer amount of magic that seemed to roll off the young woman and her retainer. She had always been on the more sensitive side when it came to feeling actual magic and it had been quite the experience stepping through the wards of Hogwarts, but never ever had she felt magic so powerful and warm the way it radiated of this shy, blind girl that was on the verge of falling into an exhausted nap on the Weasley girl's shoulder.

Said girl caught her staring but Daphne was just a tad too proud to avert her eyes. So she choose to introduce herself. "I'm sure you've heard by now," she began, holding out her right hand, "but I'm Daphne. Pleased to meet you."

"Ginny," the redhead returned kindly, "And the girl that's buried in her history book is Hermione. And it seems you already know by oaf of a brother."

"Oi," Ron grumbled surly, kicking his sister's shin.

Hermione merely lifted her head and smiled briefly at her. "Hermine Granger, pleased to meet you."

Well, that wasn't so bad. But Daphne did notice how no one tried to put any attention on Jane, who-

"Merlin and Morgana," she breathed. Was she... an elf? Daphne wasn't just imagining it. Her ears now stood sharply out of her deep red hair, long and pointy. There wasn't another magical species with ears like that, safe the goblins, and Daphne was pretty damn sure that no goblin would ever be as beautiful as Miss Potter over there, even the female ones.

Ginny caught her whisper and frowned, turning to Jane as if she had felt her staring. The Weasley sucked in a breath but before she could say anything, it was the retainer that addressed her.

"As you have guessed correctly," he said kindly, though there was something challenging in his eyes, "milady has elven ancestors. Many of them, to be precise. In fact, her own grandmother had been a pure blooded elf. Her ears and other worldly beauty merely reflect that."

Jane was obviously awake, for her cheeks burnt a rosy shade of red at the compliment and she tried to hide her face in Ginny's shoulder. Her ears, Daphne noticed, her reverted to a human appearance again.

"I see," she replied to the white haired man and settled back down. Well, outwardly she did. On the inside, her mind was reeling. Elves were outrageously rare these days and it was said that they kept quite the distance to humans in general. Lots of bedtime stories her mother had told her involved elves and apparently it should have been more easier to find a unicorn and pet it than ever randomly coming across an elf.

The stories about them ranged from beautiful to cruel. It was said that with every elf born, a tree would grow. And once their life came to an end, they would be buried underneath the very same tree. They were said to communicate with the forest as if it were a living, breathing thing, being able to control it to an extend. The cruel stories were more numerous among the darker families so she herself got to hear a few of them, though her mother always resented talking about such magnificent creatures like that.

People told gruesome stories of how elves ensnared and charmed men and women away from their families, killing any who would stand between them and their prey. They were said to kill their own mates only to follow after them once they had disposed of the body. The darkest story her father had let slip had told of a single elven man, who had murdered over four-hundred others to claim a woman he thought his.

But looking at the Potter girl did not make her out to be a monster of the forest, if anything her ethereal appearance put nothing short of an angelic light on her and deep down in her heart Daphne felt a spike of jealousy of such effortless beauty. Shaking her head, she noted Granger furiously turn pages in her book before hesitantly turning to the man that was sitting besides her.

"Uhm... if I may ask," she began nervously, avoiding eye contact.

"Of course you may," he answered kindly, though the deep bass of his voice still made it sound intimidating. "For I am sure milady would be glad to answer. Sadly, she is quite shy and would rather spend her time with Miss Weasley." Ginny glared halfheartedly at him, but didn't make any attempt of denying. "Therefore, I shall answer your questions."

Hermione smiled nervously at him. "Yes, well... is it true that Jane killed a dragon?"

For a split second, Conry's eyes dimmed, their golden shine darkening considerably. It was only for a moment but Daphne caught it nonetheless. "I'm afraid it is a bit more complicated than that." He sighed. "The tales spun in these books are nothing but fiction. It just so happens that something akin to that happened in reality."

Daphne's eyebrows couldn't have ridden any higher into her hairline. That couldn't be true. She would have understood a simple denial but not... this.

Hermione nodded, turning a page. "Then I can assume that most of what is written here is wrong? The thing about the succubi too?"

A startled squeak from the other side of the compartment drew most everyone's attention to Jane, who was fidgeting in her seat. Ginny looked up from reading her magazine, saw them all staring, and asked. "What?"

"Succubi?" Ron parroted. "Really? Why would they write that?"

That was a question Daphne could relate to. Who was even writing these books?

Conry laughed. "Though milady is as enticing as one of those misunderstood creatures, she has yet to encounter one."

The man was obviously terribly proud of his mistress. Not that she would blame him.

Hermione nodded again, but closed the book. "Then... may I ask how, uhm, I mean, why Jane is blind?"

Daphne tried not to appear too interested. But she wouldn't lie, that she wanted to know. No bedtime story had ever mentioned something that severe, even if one disregarded the _princess trapped in a tower guarded by a dragon_ stuff.

The smile slipped of Conry's features and Daphne was reminded of just how intimidating he looked.

"Mistress Lily, milady's mother, sacrificed her own life to ensure her daughter would survive," he began, eyes distant. "But the cursed magic she tried to defend against was so foul and corrupted, not even mistress' sacrifice could stop it completely. Whatever remained of the curse after her mother's protection had stopped the most of it, struck milady's eyes, leaving them scarred and without light in them." Real sadness swayed in his voice. "I have done my utmost to undo the effect, have tried every ritual known to myself and even the dragons but nothing could undo the price she had to pay to be alive."

* * *

Luna decided that the atmosphere in the compartment had become too gloomy. Even Jane's magic had dimmed a bit and that just couldn't stand! It was a shame that they had to leave Leea with the other familiars, but that couldn't be helped. Sadly there weren't any Nargles around to mess with so it fell to her to think of something. Maybe she could tell them about how her mother taught her how to knit Muncher charms out of spider webs, but then everyone would be so awkward again because her mother had died a few years ago.

Eventually Ginny, who had intently read her issue of the Witch Weekly, seemed to be sick of the awkward silence and talked either to Jane or Hermione. She seemed insistent upon involving Daphne in these conversations. Luna knew that she liked the blonde girl simply because she didn't pry.

Pulling the latest issue of the Quibbler from the back of her jeans pocket, where it had been folded small enough to fit, she begun reading about the issue on crumple horned snorkacks and their recent sightings in muggle aquariums and pools. She put her wand behind her ear to ward off Wrackspurts and quietly hummed to herself.

* * *

Ginny was trying hard not to look irrate, focusing as best as she could at the words in the article. _Young Love_ it read and if Ginny ignored the eighty different and glittering hearts that littered almost every single line of the article, then this was about having a boyfriend and what to expect. She wanted to scowl at the word because Jane was most definitely not a boy but getting advise from either her mother or one of her brothers was as mortifying as it was weird.

According to the Author, _girl_ friends were people you had " _a thing for_ " and made your heart beat faster, generally caused a feeling of happiness and content and were supposed to buy you things. Ginny blatantly ignored the last thing on the list but noted to herself that Jane did fit the bill for that.

Ginny's experience with boyfriends amounted to next to nothing, given that she never had one, nor had she met one who would have claimed to be the boyfriend of someone. Her knowledge of girlfriends, however, was considerably more substantial. Both Bill and Charlie had brought a girl home once or twice, talked a lot about them and then more or less groveled before them, Bill less so than Charlie. No wonder that didn't last.

Glancing at Jane, who was more or less sleeping on her shoulder, Ginny decided that there wouldn't be any groveling, nor would there be buying affection.

Furthermore, the article seemed to try and impress upon her that a hasty skin-ship was a bad idea. If the _girl_ friend was just out for snogging and sex, the advise was clear: Get rid of him. Err, _her_.

Ginny frowned. She didn't see how Jane's only goal could have been to... uh, well, snog and all that. She was far too shy for that. Then again, she wasn't shy around her at all, even less so when they were alone. Which begged the question: Why?

Either there was something very special about her (which she doubted) or there was something that... _made_ Jane like her. Or at least made it easier. Love potions? A curse? She shook her head. Conry would never ever let something like that happen. So if it wasn't an outside influence that left an inside one. Something about Jane herself that made her like her?

Now that didn't sound all that ridiculous. And if it was something like that, then Conry surely knew about it.

"So Conry," she said, looking up from her magazine. She halted for a moment, wetting her lips. "Say, is there something about elves that... makes them fall in love?"

He didn't answer immediately, which either meant she was right, or she had just asked something she wasn't supposed to ask.

"Yes and no," he said eventually. "Elves only ever love one person, one that they and their magic have deigned their one true love. It doesn't make them fall in love but it does... indicate with whom they will most certainly fall in love. They called it _Love at First Sight_. Or touch, really."

His eyes were boring into her, as if to await a reaction. Why would he-? "Oh!" she made, drawing out the _"o"_. "So that's why!" Well that explained it, doesn't it? And here she feared she had accidentally bewitched Jane! "You could have said that earlier, you know?"

Conry looked at her as if she had lost her mind. She choose to ignore him. If Jane had, as he had said, chosen her, then that was fine, wasn't it? It was neat to know that magic wanted them to be girlfriend and, well, girlfriend. For good measure she leaned her head atop Jane's, the soft feeling of her hair and the quiet sound of her breathing made her smile, Merlin only knows why.

She cracked an eye open when she realized the conversation that Hermione had had with Daphne had stopped after she had asked Conry her question. The bushy haired witch was blushing rather intensely while Daphne seemed only mildly put off by whatever Hermione was blushing at. Ron, like the wolf, was staring at her as if she was mad.

She glowered at them. What? Was she supposed to feel bad that someone like Jane liked her? She wasn't touched in the head!

Luna was the one to break the moment with an exclamation of. "Sweet Puffy Pies!"

Jane woke up so abruptly, she threw Ginny's head off hers. "What? Where?" she asked in what had to be the loudest voice Daphne and Hermione had heard from her until now.

"Not here," Luna said, patting Jane's hand apologetically. "The lunch Lady is just around the corner, though."

 _Where in this train is a damn corner?_

Jane smiled widely an turned to Conry, grasping his hand firmly. "Can I have one?" she pleaded.

Ginny wanted to snort. As if the big ball of fluff would ever deny her anything.

Conry briefly glared at her as if he had heard her thoughts before kissing the knuckles of Jane's hand. "Of course, milady. You may have as many as you wish."

"Oh my," Luna said, giggling lightly. Conry apparently had no idea what he'd done.

* * *

The lunch lady could probably take the next year off now. His mistress had purchased a total of one-hundred and eighty-nine sweet pies in just about every flavor there was. Much to his chagrin, the one he was given to test had tasted like vomit and then some. He had discretely vanished those and kept a few to feed to the twins if they couldn't keep from pranking his mistress.

Thirty of the palm-sized pies had already disappeared, split between all of the compartments occupants, but there was still a literal mountain in the very center of the floor. Thankfully, these compartments were charmed to expand magically should the need arise. Then again, everyone more or less had their fill so Conry shifted the whole of the pies into Dumbledore's office with a note reading, _Don't eat all of it at once._

He smiled as Ginny fed his mistress a pie, giggling as she kissed her finger.

Without reading her mind, Conry couldn't tell what Greengrass thought about all this, but he wouldn't go that far. Her magic flowed with Emrys, it was only natural to trust her. Well, for him, at least. She was a bit reserved, if not outright cold, but he knew that the Greengrass women fro many generations had always practiced this particular appearance in public.

Granger was a first generation witch. He didn't need to know her parents of family for that. Her core was new, unaffected by magic that ran in families. There were no predisposition to her magic, nothing was easier for her, but there was also nothing that would be particularly hard for her. She was highly intelligent and inquisitive, a bit socially awkward but so was Jane, if to a greater extend. She seemed to put a lot of stock in books but was very accepting of fact that proved to be wrong.

Ronald, munching away at some pies, had said little to nothing the entire ride. Conry supposed that the presence of a Slytherin unnerved him to a degree. Albus really should have done something about this house rival humbug. He wondered how his impression of the ambitious ones had become so bad.

Suddenly the compartment door was shoved open. Oh my, he had forgotten to re-apply the wards after they let the lunch Lady in.

"I heard Jane Potter is here."

Conry didn't need Ron's outcry to know that the boy with the pale blonde hair and pinched face was a Malfoy. He rose to his full height before the brat could so much as consider taking a step into the compartment.

"Mr. Malfoy," he spoke coolly, "I do not know what you came here for, but be assured, you won't find it."

There was a flash of fear in his gray eyes before his hubris caught up to him. The boy sneered up at him. "I did not ask for you, retainer."

Apparently his little statement with the press had reached the boy's ears. "I see. Then why are you here, Mr. Malfoy." He deliberately didn't make it sound like a question.

Malfoy looked past him into the compartment and his eyes narrowed. "I'm here to offer my friendship. If she's been seen with _those_ kind of people... I can assure you, they aren't the right friends to make."

Ginny rose to her feet behind him. "Listen here you little prick-!"

"Quiet you blood traitor whore!" Malfoy hissed, "You and your worthless family are not the reason I'm here."

Ginny was forced to sit back down when his mistress put a hand on her shoulder. Conry barely gave any indication of the fear he felt and turned to the side, letting his mistress stand in his place.

Draco Malfoy had made the biggest mistake possible. In fact, he was lucky if he were to leave alive. Because there was _nothing_ elves resented more than harm to their mates, be it physical or just verbal. The glass of the compartment door began to vibrate as the carefully cast glamour around mistress' ears faded. The Malfoy boy seemed more concerned with her beauty than the cold fury that was etched into her features.

Conry didn't dare say a word. He he cast a glance back into the compartment to make sure no one else would be stupid enough to try. Ginny looked awestruck more than terrified, which was good, while Ron merely glared furiously at Malfoy. Hermione seemed close to try and stop whatever was happening and Greengrass outright trembled. Sensitivity to magic might be a gift but had just as many drawbacks. Luna was staring wide eyed at Jane, her silvery eyes twinkling as her vision reflected the masses upon masses of magic that rolled off his angered mistress.

The light in the cabin flickered ominously as the magic pouring off his mistress began messing with the runes in them. Malfoy was momentarily distracted by that and failed to see how she briefly snarled at him before she caught herself.

"Draco Malfoy, heir to house Malfoy, a pleasure," he introduced himself, apparently not perturbed by the steadily dropping temperature.

Conry acted on instinct and pushed Malfoy out of the door. The space the fool had occupied not half a second before turned to ice, a solid block that filled the exact measurements of the doorway before it immediately vanished.

He pushed Jane gently back to Ginny, who pulled her back down into a seat, and stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind himself.

Malfoy was sputtering and cursing as he got back up on his feet. "You little-! My father will hear of this!" he spat. "Who do you think you are!?"

"Mister Malfoy," Conry growled, "I advise you not to return or ever seek out my mistress ever again. Otherwise your safety is not guaranteed."

The boy sneered at him. "And what would you do?" he asked scathingly, "My father would see you to Azkaban before you could so much as touch me!"

Conry's hand was around Malfoy's throat before the latter could even blink. "I think you misunderstand your position, Mister Malfoy," Conry said lowly. "Your father has no power over me and I'd ask you to watch your tone around your betters. Even so, wouldn't he be very disappointed if he ever were to find out that you insulted a family that is officially aligned with the most ancient and venerated House Potter? Heir of the _Noble_ house Malfoy?"

Malfoy flinched out of his hold as if struck, eyes wide with disbelief. He took a few steps back, out of Conry's reach. "You-... You will regret this!" he promised, though his voice was shaky. Conry merely bared his pointier than normal teeth in a cruel smirk that send the boy scurrying away.

"I look forward to the day, heir Malfoy."

* * *

The silence in the compartment was deafening. Everyone (safe Luna, who had already returned to reading her issue of the Quibbler) was staring at Jane, who sat at the edge of her seat, mouth twisted into an ugly frown of anger. She abruptly turned to Ginny, who looked at her with concern.

"Jane? Are you-?"

Anything further was smothered by a rather intense kiss. Jane toppled Ginny over and they landed in Daphne's lap, whose eyes were wide with confusion. She had both hands raised, awkwardly trying to shift away.

"C-Can anyone tell me what's happening?" she asked, making a face as Jane moaned loudly.

Ron coughed and looked out of the window, unwilling to watch his sister get snogged while Luna just giggled at them. Hermione however was already flipping furiously through a book.

"Ah, uhm... here!" she said and Daphne was hard pressed to believe she had found anything relatable to the situation in a book she had coincidentally with her. "Elves react with... vicious force if someone were to insults there, uhm, s-spouses." She seemed uncomfortable with saying the word but Daphne was pretty sure that she was the one the most uncomfortable here.

"Does that explain why they are making out in my lap, Granger?" she asked irritably, wincing as an elbow hit her side. "Dear Merlin and Morgana would you please stop that!"

Hermione cleared her throat. "Uhm... it doesn't."

"It's because she didn't get to eviscerate him!" Luna said joyfully, reaching over to pat Jane's back, who... purred, or something, in response and lifted her head.

The girl paused, breathing heavily and Daphne could see her ears twitch. Her eyebrows briefly became visible over her blindfold and with a startled squeak she retreated off Ginny and hid her face in Luna's shoulder.

"There, There," the ashen haired girl cooed, all the while reading her magazine.

Ginny was still in Daphne's lap, breathing heavily with a dazed expression. She blinked lazily a few times, licking her swollen lips. "Uh...," she made numbly, her eyes focusing on Daphne, who directed a mild glare at her. Ginny immediately sat up, looking around. "Oh, uhm... Glad that it's over, right?" she asked them.

Daphne huffed. "I sincerely doubt that, Weasley."

Ginny didn't even blush. "Maybe," she admitted. "Conry's still out there?"

As if on cue, the door opened, admitting the white haired man, who had to duck his head in order to enter. "I see milady has calmed down," he noted, kneeling down in front of her.

Ron snorted. "That's one way of calling it."

"Ron!" Hermione admonished with a blush.

 _This_ , Daphne thought to herself, _was not how I imagined the beginning of my second year._

* * *

The moment Conry decided to teach Ginny how to banish and summon wandlessly, Hermione snapped her book shut so loudly, it rattled the cabin windows.

"You're a teacher!?" she asked him excitedly, staring at him with wide eyes.

Conry, who had been halted mid gesture, chuckled. "I am indeed. I have taught milady all she knows and taught many before her."

"What subjects do you teach?" Hermione asked without so much as waiting for him to continue.

He chuckled again, putting the apple he had been holding into Jane's lap. Ginny could summon it from there just as well. Accidentally summoning mistress' underwear would merely be a funny side effect. "I teach what I know, my dear. I do not limit myself so a subject."

Of course that didn't prove to be enough of an answer. Conry wondered how much he should tell her, and Greengrass for that matter. His mistress' ancestry was one thing, but his own unique circumstances were a whole other thing, not to mention downright illegal these days. Good thing he had talked to Albus a lot. They had agreed that he would stay as close as possible to Jane and since he was a well of knowledge, over a millennia old, and good with children he would teach at Hogwarts.

It should have been a surprise but seeing milady's smile up close would delight him more than seeing to from the distance of the staff table.

"But if you must know," he said, stopping Hermione before she could ask again. "I was hired to teach in stead of your ghostly history teacher."

Luna, for one, didn't even look up from her magazine. _Liliths_ , he thought to himself, _never been able to surprise those._

"Really!?" both Hermione and Ron exclaimed.

Daphne didn't quite keep a smile off her face but she did return to her book rather quickly. Ginny had been too invested in braiding his mistress' hair to have heard him.

"Wonderful," Jane exclaimed joyfully, smiling widely at him.

The eyes of the others were drawn to her as her ethereal beauty enraptured their minds. Young Weasley had the grace to blush and avert his eyes, of which Conry was rather proud, while both Hermione and Daphne looked at Jane as if they had seen her for the first time. At this point, Conry was rather glad that no Veela had ever found her way into the Potter family or nobody might be able to stop themselves from staring. Her natural charm was already strong enough as it was.

Blinking rapidly, Daphne averted her eyes, her cheeks coloring. She cleared her throat. "So you will be replacing Professor Binns the, sir?"

"A long time since someone referred to me as sir," Conry mused aloud, "But yes, I will. I can promise you to be more informative than a goblin obsessed ghost."

Daphne nodded, a small smile gracing her lips. "I would imagine. How would I refer to you then?"

A clever inquiry for his family name, though he may have been thinking too much into it. "Grey," Conry responded kindly. "Professor Grey would surface."

Both Ron and Ginny gave him a flat look. "That so?" they both said.

He mock glared at them. "I'll have you know that I am also an earl."

"Earl Grey?" Ginny asked, both eyebrows raised.

"Reminds me of tea," Ron muttered under his breath.

Well, he wasn't wrong there. It was good tea, though.

* * *

"It's time to change into our school robes," Hermione announced, aiming a meaningful look at Ron.

"Alright, alright," the Weasley said, "no need to glare."

Conry was already walking out of the door after ruffling Jane's hair. He undid the braid Ginny had done for her! After the door closed, Jane casually summoned her set of... not robes? The three girls (Luna didn't care for being curious) inspected the black cloth. Hermione dropped her book at the casual display of magic.

"What is that?" Ginny asked, "These aren't robes, right?"

Jane nodded, lifting up the hem of her shirt, exposing her flat and ever so slightly muscled stomach to them. Once her shirt was off, she smiled shyly. "I would rather not wear such wide clothing. They tend to get stuck on things I miss."

"I see," Hermione said, pulling her heavy pullover over her bushy head. "Must be a hassle. Isn't it the same with your hair, then?"

Ginny didn't really listen, just threw sideways glances at Jane as she undressed. Daphne found it adorable. "I would hope not," she said, "Your hair is rather beautiful."

Jane smiled even as she let her jeans slide down her legs. "Thank you," she said, a wave of her hand causing a white, button up shirt to gently float int her hand. It fit her slender frame perfectly and she buttoned it up without much of a fuss. Once the last button had been closed, Ginny seemed to regain some decorum and pulled a similar shirt from her own stack of clothing.

Daphne herself had chosen a black shirt with silver trimming. She retrieved her skirt when she noticed the black jeans Jane pulled on. They had a rather tight fit, fine fabric with golden buttons. Hermione merely wore the standard school robe with the Gryffindor colors.

Like she herself, Ginny wore black tights and a knee length skirt, though she seemed uncomfortable in it.

"You wouldn't happen to have another jeans with you?" she whispered to Jane and Daphne's eyes caught Luna's, who was already dressed in rather big looking robes.

The ashen haired girl smiled mysteriously at her, which she merely returned with a nod. Lovegood was a curious character but seemed rather intelligent and maybe a bit detached from everything. Even though she was more or less swimming in her school robes, it still appeared as if they were specially made for the girl.

Evidently Jane had another pair of pants with her, though Daphne never caught her picking it up, and handed it to Ginny and was rewarded with a peck to the cheek. Daphne wondered how the male part of the school would react to that. She herself didn't particularly care for such things, though one of her aunts had a rather nice girlfriend so the idea of a same sex relationship was nothing new to her.

Hermione though blushed rather brightly as he pulled her robes over her head. Muggleborns had always been rather prude, Daphne reminded herself.

Jane and Ginny now wore more or less the same outfit, though Jane's long, coat-like jacket bore what had to be the Potter coat of arms and could have fooled a lot of people as robes if viewed from behind. Ginny's were more like a cloak, wider and with a hood, but bearing a different coat of arms. One Daphne hadn't seen before.

It was a wolf, carmine in color in front of a silver moon with the roots of a tree underneath. It was somewhat similar to the Potter crest.

Daphne donned her own, modified robes, which had been cut short to end just below her waistline. She had neglected to put a family crest on her robes, but the trimming and the silver and green crest on her collar marked her as a Slytherin, just like the red and golden tie Hermione was tying at the moment was marking her as Gryffindor.

"I must admit, I am surprised," she said, addressing Hermione. "Most Gryffindors tend to be rather scathing towards any Slytherin."

"I.. was apprehensive," the bushy haired witch admitted, "But you were polite, so I decided to do the same."

"Thank you," Daphne said, trying not to look at Jane and Ginny, who were "adjusting" clothing, not to say groping each other, "And be assured, not all of us follow after Malfoy." She sighed. "I imagine he'll be a hassle even more than normal, given that he's probably seen me in here."

"Oh," Hermione made, "Sorry about that."

"Don't be," she said, "I can deal with him."

"If he's too annoying," Ginny said, catching her attention, "Just tell us. I'm sure Jane'll scare him away. If not, Conry's not too fond of him either. I'm sure he'll be able to help you, especially since he's a teacher." She turned to Jane. "Can you believe it? The prat didn't say a word!"

Jane smiled, not even half as shy as when Ron had still be with them. "I suspected it," she admitted, giggling as Ginny gasped audibly. "He talked a lot to the headmaster and I knew he wouldn't leave my side."

"So he is your retainer, yes?" Daphne asked, gathering her hair in a simple ponytail.

Jane jumped a little ad didn't answer immediately. "Y-Yes," she said, quieter than before, "He's been my retainer since I was born."

"He doesn't look a day over thirty," Hermione said, a thoughtful look on her face.

Daphne shrugged. "It's not uncommon for old families to hire retainers that will grow up with their charges."

Jane smiled uneasily, holding Ginny's hand. "I... after... after my parents d-died, I was hidden away. He couldn't find me for a long time."

The Weasley looked at her with wide eyes, either surprised that she had admitted that to a stranger or it was something she herself hadn't known. The latter seemed unlikely to Daphne.

"I see," Daphne said, "I'd imagine that's why you haven't been here for your first year."

Jane merely nodded and Daphne took her silence as a sign not to ask anymore questions.

* * *

Outside of the cabin, Ron was waiting with Conry for the girls to get changed. The moment they had stepped out a bunch of boys had fled the wagon hallways, sent off with an eerie golden glare.

"Like vultures," Conry growled lowly.

"This will be worse at school right?" Ron asked, looking down the narrow hallway. A few students were taking careful peeks out of their compartments to see if they were still there.

"Yes," Conry said simply, "but I have every confidence in you and your brothers and sister. Adjusting to life around multiple people won't be easy, but mistress will me able to do it. She's a kind soul and has a strong heart."

Ron looked at him thoughtfully before he nodded to himself. "Then it's good that she won't be all alone, isn't it? We can be her brothers, you know?"

Conry smiled at him. "Like Merlin to Morgana, your father said. Morgana had always been the older sister Merlin never had and, at times, never wanted. Their bickering follows me today still." He gave Ron a strong pat on the shoulder, clasping it firmly. "There will be times mistress will have to depend on you with her life. And I am confident that you will not disappoint her."

"Yes," Ron said, before ginning. "Professor."

Conry rolled his eyes. "Insolent little pup," he said with good humor.

"Ancient stray," Ron fired back with a laugh.

"Ancient I may be," Conry said, "But a stray I am not. Now let us return inside. I fear I may be garnering too much attention."

Ron looked confused for a second before he glanced past Conry's high form.

A gaggle of girls from almost all the houses peered at the white haired man from behind the sliding door the separated the wagons. They were whispering excitedly, blushing ever so often and giggling loud enough so that even Ron could faintly hear them. There was a mop of reddish brown hair among them, who Ron recognized as Susan Bones. One of them was also a girl from Gryffindor, Lavender Brown, who was fanning herself with both hands.

"Uh... sure seems so," Ron said.

With a wry smile, Conry turned and opened the compartment door.

* * *

Jane smiled almost mischievously when Conry came back inside. "Attracted a crowd, dear dear wolf?" she asked, and it almost sounded teasing. Ginny swallowed. Great, why did she have to look so sexy when she said that?

Conry smiled at her. "Unfortunately I have," he said.

"Lavender was practically drooling all over herself," Ron threw in, rolling his eyes.

"Wolf?" Daphne asked from behind Ginny.

There was only the slightest of pauses in which Jane went from teasing to downright afraid she had spilled something.

"Indeed," Conry said smoothly, musing Jane's hair. "My animagus form is a wolf."

Ginny was relieved to see that both Hermione and Daphne seemed to accept that. Jane fell against her in relive, sighing softly. Ginny squeezed her hand, enjoying how Jane nuzzled against the crook of her neck. Looking out of the window, she could see the Scottish countryside, and a village in the distance of the next curve of the tracks.

"That's Hogsmead," Daphne informed her, "The castle is up the hill behind the forest. Thankfully we will be taking carriages up there. You on the other hand get to go on a boat ride."

She felt the grip on her hand tighten but didn't turn in Jane's direction, just squeezed back. "A boat?"

"Yes," Daphne said, her eyes briefly flicking to Jane, "Which doesn't seem to be a problem, if Miss Potter can grin like that."

Jane blushed furiously though she never stopped smiling. "I... I rather like the water," she said.

"She swims like a mermaid," Conry informed them, "Though she is far more beautiful than one."

Ginny would have rolled her eyes if she didn't so vehemently agree with him.

* * *

Getting out of the train was, surprisingly, not a problem. Daphne didn't have a problem with simply waiting until most had already left so they got out of the wagon just as most of the upper years had already made their way to the carriages.

"See you in the hall," Daphne said, hurrying to catch up with her friend.

"Don't get lost in some broom closet," Ron reminded them with a cheeky smile.

"Shut up!" Ginny threw after him, though the idea did definitely cross her mind.

"Don't get caught by a Nargle," Luna advised sagely.

Hermione smiled at them after a look of bewilderment in Luna's direction. "Don't worry, it's going to be great!" She caught up with Ron and both were out of sight in no time at all.

Conry turned to the three of them. "I will accompany you," he said, "If that will be seen or unseen is up to the gamekeeper."

They were about to leave when a blur of white fur impacted with Ginny's shoulder, purring loudly. "Leea!" she exclaimed.

The elikar's bright blue eyes sparkled in the evening light and it licked her cheek.

A house elf appeared with a soft pop right next to them, which Luna for some reason immediately began to pet like an ugly doll.

"Me'se be's sorry!" it squeaked, huge brown eyes staring up at them, trying in vain to avoid Luna's hands. "Curious' animal unlock it'se own's carrier, it'se did!"

Conry bent down in front of the little house elf. "Worry not, lost one. It is all as it should be."

With a startled gasp and a low bow the house elf disappeared with another pop.

"Lost one?" Ginny asked, petting Leea's head.

Conry shook his head. "A story for another time. Let us move, Hargrid won't wait forever. And do yourself a favor and let the elikar wait for you in the castle. Hagrid wouldn't let us through without thoroughly examining Leea."

He led them out of the station, onto the right of the two paths that lead towards the castle in the distance. Instead of ascending, however, they went downhill for a bit and a big, pitch black lake came into view. The fact that it was named Black Lake was rather fitting.

At the shore next to a few jetties the other first years were gathered. Towering above them all was a man even taller than Conry, at least three heads, and by far wider of stature. He waved a giant lantern at them, which was at least twice as big as Ginny's head.

"There ye are!" he boomed loudly, "Thought we'd los' a few already!"

Given that Conry chuckled, Ginny assumed that he must have been joking. Naturally all eyes turned to them once they got closer. The whispers of _"Look! Jane Potter!"_ and _"The-Girl-Who-Lived!"_ got rather loud until the huge man reigned their attention back in.

"Come on ya lil' buggers! In them boats!" he bellowed, "Bu' no more than three'!"

Along the three jetties were multiple boats, all of them seemed rather small and Ginny wasn't sure all three of them would fit.

"Seems I will take the unseen route," he told them. "We will see each other again when you get out of the boat." He gently took Jane's free hand, kissing her knuckles, and gently mussed her hair before stepping back into the shadow of the trees where he vanished without a trace.

Seeing as Jane didn't get any more nervous than she already was, Ginny mused that Conry was still nearby. She and Luna took Jane in between the two of them and patiently waited for most of the students to get on a boat and they were free to enter the last one themselves. Ginny noticed how the water rippled besides then, a consistent, calm ripple from a single point closest to Jane. It followed them over the lake but Ginny was distracted by Hogwarts Castle, sitting atop the hill that oversaw the lake. It was impressive, brightly lit and could probably house their numbers a hundred times over.

Jane's hand kept playing with the water, even though Hagrid told them to keep their hands inside the boat. Who knew Jane had a rebellious streak? That was until they passed into the underground harbor and the light of the torches briefly illuminated a hand, smaller than Jane's, that held onto her friend's- uhm, girlfriend's.

"Who's that?" Ginny asked quietly. She didn't want to ask _what_ it was, because that just seemed rude.

"A little mermaid," Jane responded with a fond smile. "My magic drew her and she refuses to listen to her mother calling her back."

"I didn't hear anything," Ginny mused, helping Jane out of the boat.

With a smile, Jane indicated her ears.

Well, there had to be some bonus to these aside from just looking delectable. And... tease-able. There was something to do tonight!

Conry's appearance right besides them didn't scare her half as much as the unfortunate blonde to their right, who let out an undignified squeak and almost fell into the water if not for the wolf catching her.

"Be careful, miss," he said to her, "Though I must apologize for scaring you."

The girl nodded numbly, cheeks heating visibly even in the dim torch light. Luna nodded sagely at her side. "She would very much like to kiss you,"she said happily.

The blonde squawked, her face close to glowing, and made for a hasty retreat.

"Up them stairs!" Hagrid's voice echoed through the harbor. "Come one, young en's!"

Jane chuckled quietly as the girl began to stammer to her friends, glancing at them a few times. She took Conry's hand. "Watch out," she said, "I hear women can be persuasive."

He smiled wryly at her. "Or so I hear. But it is meaningless nonetheless."

Jane brought his hand up to her face and nuzzled it briefly, a gesture that Ginny saw quite often between them. "Your love is eternal, theirs is fleeting," she whispered.

* * *

"Welcome to Hogwarts Castle!" a stern looking woman with a wide brimmed witch hat greeted them atop the staircase. "When you walk through these doors in a few minutes, you will be sorted into one of the four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin!"

Ginny tuned her out. She already knew that they would be sorted by the Sorting Hat and didn't have to fight a troll like her older brothers would always told her. Instead she looked at the crowd in front of them. Conry had joined whom she knew to be Professor McGonagall and most of the young men and women around them looked rather excited, which indicated them as first generation witches or wizards. The few that stood there, patiently or impatiently waiting were most likely from a magical family.

"I remember you!" came an excited whisper from Ginny's left. Jane jumped a little but it wasn't too bad, given that it was a girl who approached them.

"Me?" Ginny asked. She hadn't seen anyone even alike to the girl before. She had eyes so blue, it was like the ice reflecting the summer sky. It was almost unnerving, though it was no match for Jane's eyes or Emrys' golden gaze.

She giggled. "No! Your friend there! She was at our cafe last years!"

"You were?" Ginny asked Jane, who tilted her head in the girl's direction.

"I- I remember your voice," she said quietly, "back in Greece."

"Yes!" She nodded vigorously, her ponytail swishing about. "I'm Helena Makos! Pleased to meet you!" She extended a hand to Ginny.

"I'm Ginny," she said, shaking the offered hand. "And it seems you already know Jane."

Helena looked undecided if she should extend her hand towards Jane as well but decided against it in the end. "Is she... alright?" the girl asked, studying Jane's pale features.

Ginny shook her head. "She's bad with crowds and... new people," she said, squeezing Jane's hand.

"Oh!" Helena made, taking a step back and almost bumping into a boy that had been trying to get closer to them. She barely spared him a glance. "I'm sorry!" she apologized, bowing lightly.

"Oh, uh," Ginny made as people began to turn towards them after McGonagall had entered the great hall. "No need," she assured.

Looking up, Helena seemed to note the people staring at the. "What is it?" she asked them snappishly. "Never seen a Greek woman before?" She puffed out her chest, glaring at them.

Ginny chuckled as the boy that still glanced over Helena's shoulder backed off a bit, looking nervous. "Yeah," Ginny added, "You better prepare to face the troll!"

That sent a lot of the first years reeling while others snorted and shook their head. Suddenly the door to the great hall opened and McGonagall stepped in front of them. "We are ready for you."

* * *

She was doing better than she expected. Though Jane could feel the gaze of hundreds of students on her like a physical weight, her legs held and her heart hand't burst yet. So far so good, she told herself. She might be seriously bruising Ginny's hand though. Her mind latched onto the feel of Conry's magic somewhere ahead of her, letting it envelope her, ease a bit of her stress.

Jane could hear them whisper, the astonishment, the awe, the attention they were paying to her. Her stomach turned sideways and she almost stumbled if not for Ginny holding her up.

"You will be fine," she told her, pulling her even closer, "I'm right here."

Jane smiled at her but couldn't muster the strength to say something in return.

Off to her right she caught Ron's voice, harshly reminding someone that, _"It's rude to point, you twat! Mind your own business!"_ Faintly she caught Hermione berate him but her smile stretched a bit farther.

The girl they had meet outside, Helena, was on her other side and kept the space to Jane's left open. She didn't know the girl yet beyond her name but the magic that drifted through her core was arm and comforting, determined and flickering like a wildfire. Maybe she had already made a new friend! It was an exciting thought, though it would yet have to prove if Jane could muster the courage to speak to her on her own.

Ginny stopped walking so Jane did too. Their group was gathering closer together now and whomever stood behind Jane was close enough for her to hear him breath through the nose. Swallowing dryly, Jane inched closer to Ginny, trying not to shrink into herself.

Professor McGonagall began calling out names and Jane already dreaded the moment her's would come up. She tried not to think about it, how she would have to leave Ginny's side and walk up steps she hadn't even placed yet and be on full display for all of the student body. Her heart beat faster, almost erratically, at the thought. She bit her lip and tried to ignore all these people around them.

"Makos, Helena!"

Helena inhaled sharply. "Here goes nothing," she said to herself and left Jane's side.

With bated breath Jane awaited what would happen, trying to ignore that the space to her left had been occupied by a stranger.

There was a brief silence before the sorting hat loudly called, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

It was all to soon that Jane realized that she was probably up next.

She could hear the Professor hesitate before she called out, "Potter, Jane!"

The noise level in the great hall dropped drastically and Jane felt the weight on her increase a hundredfold. She released a shaky breath, determined to overcome this. She forced herself to step forward, Ginny moving with her. The crowd parted in front of them and Jane almost jumped when someone brushed by her elbow. She grit her teeth, holding back whatever noise was bubbling in her throat.

The whispers were picking up again, she heard her names be spoken a hundred times over behind her. Jane felt her knees grow weak. Ginny stopped, probably at the bottom of the steps, and Jane bit her tongue.

She could do this. None of those people were trying to harm her. Conry was right there in front of here and Ginny not a step behind. She could do this, she wasn't going to back out now. She was stronger than her fear.

Despite telling herself that, Jane doubted. She put her foot on the stair and she doubted she could make it up the steps before the stares that bore into her back would have her falter, shake like a leaf. She put her other foot onto the next step and focused on gauging her next move, not thinking about the others. By the third step all she could think of was Conry's eyes on her, the encouraging whispers he sent, the warmth of his magic. The fourth step she took quickly, her ears telling her were the Professor stood, worrying the piece of parchment loud enough for her to hear. The fifth and final step she took almost lightly, as if she had left the burdens behind with every step.

Professor McGonagall's hand touched her arm and Jane tried, and failed, not to flinch too hard. At least she hadn't whimpered at the discomfort. She could feel that Ginny had taken a step up after her, but as she sat down on the stool, smiling shakily, Ginny got back down again. It felt like she had swam circles in the Black Lake, her ears were ringing and her hands shaking, but she had managed. Not as good as she wished she could, but she hadn't fainted, which was a major improvement.

Softly the sorting hat was placed on her brow, it's magic softly reaching for hers. The touch of magic eased Jane's painfully tense mind considerably, but she was almost surprised when the artifact observed her very soul.

 _"My my,"_ a soft, surprisingly female, voice spoke from within, _"How wonderful it it to meet the daughter of James and Lily."_

She exhaled carefully. _"Thank you,"_ she mentally told the hat, _"For easing my mind."_

 _"Worry not, child,"_ the hat said softly, _"It is my duty to not only sort the students to walk my hallowed halls, but also welcome them."_

 _"I'm gratefully still,"_ Jane responded, sighing as the magic worked wonders on her mood.

She could almost feel the hat smile. _"Then we shall sort you, Lady Emrys, to ensure a good time, shan't we?" Brave you are, no doubt, a courage buns bright in your heart, determination in abundance. No one be more loyal than you, no one worketh harder than you. And your mind is bright, an inquisitive star blessed with intelligence and wit. Oh Lady mine, you, perhaps, are the most ambitious student I have ever sorted, the scales of your goals are unrivaled by any that came before."_

The hat fell silent in contemplation before it spoke again, softly at first, _"A boon you would be to each house, a boon you would be to every student, but only one will keep your strides the longest, will give you allies and even friends. Only one house to be, Miss Potter, milady Emrys."_

"Yes, Yes!" the hat called loudly into the great hall and every stray whisper fell silent, "Better be-!"

* * *

 **A/N: And that's that.**

 **Just so you know, the poll is still up.**

 **Currently it looks like this:**

 **Hufflepuff in the lead with 36%**

 **Slytherin and Ravenclaw share second place with 26%**

 **and Gryffindor trails behind with a mere 15%**

 **Last chance to vote!**

 **Anyways, we are approaching a lot of fluff, steamy things, animagus stuff and the beginning of the Chamber of Secrets!**


	13. Chapter 13

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

There was a beat of stunned silence before the table left to the aisle broke into cheers. Jane, no matter how loud things got, could still hear Helena's voice through all of them. It was nice to know she already knew someone in the house, though her momentary high didn't last long.

How would she get there?

As if he had sensed it, Conry walked up to her, disregarding whatever tradition or rule told people to leave the student alone on the stool with the hat. He offered her his arm and she took it graciously.

"Milady," he said, his head bowed low to her side.

Taking a deep breath, Jane mustered every ounce of noble decorum she had been taught. She slid off the stool, straightened her back, stood as tall as she could and lifted her chin the tiniest bit. She forced her features to soften and adapt an easy smile, one that spoke of benevolence and grace. She certainly didn't feel that way, more terrified instead.

 _This,_ she told herself, _is my first step out of the cupboard and into the spotlight._

Though she was grateful Conry had let her ascend these steps on her own, she couldn't express how relieved she felt when he'd guide her down again. While she managed to appear calm on the outside, her mind was still reeling, but the weight of all these eyes upon her she shared with Conry. Her arm on his gave her confidence, his magic at her side gave her strength. No matter how bad things would get, Jane was sure to overcome them all.

The cheering subsided a bit and no one seemed to dare and interfere with Conry. As Jane descended the stairs the next student was already sitting down on the stool again. They passed the other first years and she briefly took Ginny's hand in her still trembling one.

"See you in a bit," Ginny whispered to her.

She smiled just a tad wider and nodded.

Conry guided her to the end of the Hufflepuff house table where Helena already sat. "I've saved you a seat," she said, not quite shouting but obviously trying not to be too loud.

Conry guided her to the very end of the bench, where she sat down next to Helena, with some distance, of course. "T-Thank you," she said, cursing herself for stuttering.

"It's alright," the girl said, "Can't just leave you with a bunch of strangers now, can I?" Jane could hear the smile in her voice.

"Then I shall leave my mistress with you," Conry said to her, before kissing Jane's knuckles. "Do take care until Miss Weasley joins you," he instructed gently.

"Sure!" Helena said mock saluting to him, "I'll keep them baddies away!"

Jane managed a soft smile. Maybe she had found a new friend already.

* * *

Ginny had never been so on edge before. It wouldn't have taken much more for her to run after Jane when she began ascending the steps. Some rude guy to her left had had the gall to exclaim, _"The-Girl-Who-Lived!_ " like he knew anything! He was still wheezing, holding his side where her elbow had hit him. When Jane seemed to falter on the steps she took forward, ready to get her out of here. Where to she would have gone, she had no idea, probably to Conry to beg him to get her away from all these people.

But Jane held strong and Ginny felt herself cheer or her. Truth was, Ginny couldn't imagine how Jane felt. Conry told her that the fear made things worse than they actually were, amplified unease to the level of true terror. It turned a simple question into a threat to ones life. Still, Ginny could barely comprehend how bad it must be for Jane, and she hated it.

She released a breath she had been holding when Jane reached the top of the stairs, genuine pride swelling in her chest. But when the Professor touched her and Jane jumped as if she had been slapped, her heart constricted and she took another step forward. Only the fact that Conry decided to step in had stopped her from running up there, to hell with it all.

And then she waited. She watched as Jane's tense features relaxed, and waited for her sorting. It seemed to take ages even if in truth it only were two minutes.

"Yes, Yes!" the hat called out and Ginny almost jumped out of her own skin, so focused on Jane she had been. "Better be "HUFFLEPUFF!"

It felt like she had been slapped. Traditionally, Weasleys were all sorted into Gryffindor and in no case whatsoever did she want to leave Jane's side. She made a rather unladylike noise through her nose as Conry approached her again. The whispers picked up again, even as the Hufflepuffs cheered and clapped. They wondered if she was really blind and who that man was. She rolled her eyes. Impatient fools.

Ginny was well aware of the hypocrisy.

Still, as Jane passed her on her way to the end of the table, she grasped her hand, trying to squeeze all the support and pride into her. "See you in a bit," she said, still trying to convince herself of that.

Would the hat just throw her to her brothers? Would it let her go after Jane? She glanced at the Gryffindor table where her brothers exchanged worried glances. Percy met her eyes. He smiled weakly and nodded to the other tables. She nodded back at him, hoping she could be sorted into Hufflepuff.

She shook her head. No matter where Jane was, Conry would always be there to protect her. It would just be nice... to always be there, too. With her _girlfriend_. Elven girlfriend that had very deft fingers... What in the world was she thinking now? Neither the time, nor the place for it!

Ginny noted absently that she had missed Luna being sorted into Hufflepuff entirely.

"Weasley, Ginevra!"

Ugh, right. There was that. Now everyone knew how lame her name was. _Though Jane likes it._ Conry may have told her that she had been named after someone rather important but Ginny had been prodding Jane's back for tickles when he had told them that one so she kind didn't remember.

Taking a deep breath, Ginny ascended the steps, trying not to look hurried. She sat on the stool and caught sight of Jane and Helena at the very and of the table. The rest of the house appeared unsure of what to do, watching Conry stalk back to the teacher's table. She glanced at Professor McGonagall, who gave her an encouraging smile before she put the hat on her head.

 _"Ah!"_ she heard in her head, _"Another Weasley!"_

Ginny steadfastly ignored the voice, keeping her eyes on Jane, who was haltingly talking to Helena, who appeared a bit overwhelmed, while Luna was serenely and happily talking to both of them from across the table.

 _"But not just any Weasley! A young woman no less!"_

She saw Jane finger the medallion that hung from her neck. Ginny squeezed her own in response, hoping it would carry the warmth of her touch.

 _"You are not listening to me, are you?"_

She wanted to be down there _now_ , and kick that one guy that had been sorted into Hufflepuff into the bollocks, tell him to go screw himself for looking in Jane's general direction. She wanted to-

 _"HUFFLEPUFF!"_

The sheer volume almost blew her off the chair. But she didn't care that her ears stung or that people might think she's crazy. Ginny threw the hat onto the stool and more or less jogged down the stairs, past the first years and onto the bench next to Jane, who was immediately drawn to her like a magnet.

"Thank the ancient ones you got sorted here as well," she heard her whisper.

She snorted softly, taking her hand. "As if I'd leave you alone with the crazy ones."

"I'm right here," Helena huffed. "Thank you, though."

Ginny gave her a sideways glance. "And thank you," she said. "It's going to take a while for her to get used to this, I suppose."

Helena smiled, her blue eyes twinkling. "Anytime. And if i get to kick someone, all the better."

* * *

"I'd do her."

Daphne looked up from her book, eyebrows furrowing. She turned to her friend and hit her arm with the rather thick book. "Tracey," she chastised. " _Could you not_?"

Tracey swept a stand of her short, red hair out of her face and grinned. "Jealous much? I'd do you too, you know? You have a really nice butt and-"

Daphne swatted her with the book again. "For the love of Merlin, stop!"

Tracey rolled her eyes. "What got your knickers in a twist? Did Malfoy try to ask you out again?"

She shuddered. "Ugh! No!" Daphne was very glad he hadn't. She detested the boy more than she could ever frown upon Tracey's flirtatious behavior. "Hopefully he won't ever again. He did get his ass handed to him by our new history teacher though."

"We get a new one?" Tracey asked, eyes drifting up to the staff table. "Who? The hot one? I'd do him, too."

Daphne sighed. "Of course you would... But yes, the tall one is our new teacher. He kicked Malfoy out of our compartment after Potter almost killed him."

Tracey looked at her, eyes wide. "That's hot. Tell me more."

Daphne closed her book in defeat. "Why are we friends again?"

Tracey grinned at her. "Cause I can tell when you need to lighten up!"

Ignoring the applause that came with a new Slytherin student, Daphne glared at her friend. "You always tell me to lighten up."

"Because you are always so stiff!" Tracey exclaimed. "Sexy too, but that doesn't help your attitude." She leered blatantly at her. "I'd always offer a massage, you know?"

Daphne rolled her eyes. She knew Tracey was overdoing it. "Once you've stopped being a slag." She observed how the Weasley girl claimed the seat next to Potter. "Also, the girl is taken."

Tracey followed her gaze, frowning playfully once she saw them. "That so?" she asked with exaggerated sigh of defeat. "Shame, really. Now tell me how she almost killed that ponce Malfoy."

* * *

The feast had been grand, the food incredible, but Jane had barely eaten at all. The stares and whispers continued on through the entire ordeal and at some point, Ginny was ready to tear that noisy little Gryffindor's head off. Collin _Kick-me-in-the-Stones_ Creevy seemed hell bent on getting on Ginny's bad side. He and his damned camera. Their new friend, Helena, was either rather perceptive or just liked to scare people away. Either way, Ginny was sure that she had scared half the table towards the end of the feat, one boy even earned himself a place one her list, whatever that meant.

Luna's ever so odd and moreover magical presence did wonders for Jane's anxious mind.

Though it also strained Ginny's sanity. "What in the world is a cobble-... and... what did you call it?"

Luna sighed and laughed at the same time, producing a rather odd noise. "Not cobble! Cuddle! A cuddle-moose!"

"So..," Ginny began, "A... moose? I mean... aren't those quite big? How would one fit... behind my ear?"

Luna rolled her eyes so dramatically, she almost rolled off the bench with them. "It's tiny and keeps out of sight, Ginny!" she lectured. "A cuddle-moose keeps whispering cuddly thoughts to you until you oblige and it seeks out it's next target and satisfy their need for fluffiness!"

Ginny nodded a few times before shaking her head. "What? I'm not sure I follow."

Luna gave her a rather blank look, as if she was being extra thick. "Ginny," she said seriously. "You need to feed the moose. The _cuddle_ -moose. By cuddling."

"Are you telling me you want a hug?" Ginny barely kept her lips from twitching even as her hand found Jane's under the table, who kept pocking a potato on her plate with her fork.

Luna leaned forward onto the table, getting as close to Ginny as possible without standing up. "I want you to snog the living daylight out of Jane, tear her clothes off and make her forget that everyone in this hall is trying to figure her out."

Ginny couldn't help but turn a light shade of red. She coughed into her hand. "Well... not that I hadn't planned on that already..."

Helena snorted, almost inhaling a her fork.

Luna patted her head with an easy smile. "Good girl."

Ginny batted her hand away. "Come one, I'm not Conry."

 _"I heard that."_

Ginny only jumped the tiniest bit, turning in her seat to glare at the man that had listened in on their conversation from across the entire great hall. He raised his goblet and tipped it in her direction. Ginny simply blew him a raspberry.

* * *

"Now that we are all fed and watered, I do have a few last announcements to make."

Ginny looked up from Jane's hand and the black ring she had been toying with. "Fed and watered? Like... what?"

"Heard he's always like this," Helena supplied. "A tad barmy, _pater_ says."

Ginny could see Conry snort up at the staff table, earning a questioning look from Professor McGonagall who was sitting right besides him.

"I am saddened to tell you," he began, "and I'm sure you shall all grieve with me, that Professor Binns is retiring. And-"

The great hall burst into cheers and jubilant outcries which could only ever be stopped by a loud, cannon-like boom that Dumbledore released from his wand. The headmaster barely kept the mirth out of his voice as he spoke. "Yes, yes, very saddened we are indeed. However, it is also my pleasure to introduce you to your new teacher for History of Magic! Professor Conry... Grey!"

Ginny barely kept from laughing as she noticed the slight pause. "Did he forget to give Dumbledore his last name?" she snickered.

Jane giggled lightly. "I do not think he ever did. Not that he needed to anyways."

Up at the staff table, Conry rose to his full, imposing height accompanied by enthusiastic clapping from the students, most of all the female ones. Unlike Dumbledore, Conry merely raised a hand and the student body fell mostly silent. "It is my pleasure to be here at Hogwarts," he said, his deep voice echoing in the great hall with enough power to let the pumpkin juice in her goblet ripple softly. "Thank you all for the warm welcome." He paused momentarily, his golden gaze roaming over all of them. "And... no, there won't be more than one or two lessons on goblins and giants."

That, of course, earned him standing ovations from all of the older students, who seemed absolutely overjoyed with the revelation.

"I imagined that you would like that," he said bemusedly, chuckling lowly. "Many of you I shall see tomorrow, and I will let it stand to spend the first lesson of the year at ease." He bowed lightly, more an incline of the head than anything else. "Thank you all for the warm welcome."

* * *

With the feast taken care of, Conry decided to have a word with the head boy and girl of Hufflepuff, as well as the prefects. After Dumbledore sent the students to bed, he was approached by all of them, the prefects looking by far more nervous than the head boy. The head girl and one female prefect, Josephine Turner and Evangeline Benning, had been tasked with seeing the Hufflepuff students to the common room.

Conry raised an eyebrow at the head boy when he recognized his magic but remained quiet. The young man was tall, lanky, with short brown hair and sea green eyes. His angular face made him look older than he was and his narrowed eyes gave him a tired look, though Conry could see that his green eyes were ablaze with magic. If he remembered correctly, the young man's name was Michael Schwarz, born and raised in Germany until he decided to attend Hogwarts. At least that's what Dumbledore, who was still reclining in his throne-like chair, had told him.

The teen's magic, however, told a different story.

"You wanted to see us, professor?" Micheal asked, speaking up for the prefects, the other three of whom seemed rather intimidated by Conry's imposing height.

"Indeed," he said, meeting the head boy's eyes. "We have something to discuss."

"And what would that be, teach?"

Conry almost raised an eyebrow at the fifth year girl, but was momentarily distracted by the familiarity of her magic. "Miss Tonks, correct?" he asked, internally smiling to himself. It had been years since he had last seen the girl, though he distinctively remembered that her hair hadn't been pink back then. Then again, she was a Metamorphmagus. A trait that came into the Black family after an intriguing affair with-... Well, no time for remembrance now.

She nodded, her hair reddening a tad once she found herself under his scrutiny. "Uhm, yes," she said, struggling to keep her voice steady.

He smiled lightly at her. "We have met before, Miss Tonks, your mother was is a good friend of... the family, though I'm sure you were too young to remember." He chuckled. "But as delightful it is to see how much you've grown into a woman, it is not why I called you all here."

Tonk's hair turned a deep shade of red that could rival Jane's but she smiled nonetheless.

The male prefect gave her a sideways glance before rolling his eyes. "Then I assume this is about Miss Potter?" the young teen asked. Johnathan Morinth, whose family name sounded awfully familiar to Conry, was not especially tall, barely taller than Tonks, with sandy blonde hair and a rather severe looking face. Those features seemed to be hereditary, if Conry remembered correctly.

The wolf nodded once. "It is indeed. I must inform you that milady is my mistress, for I am her loyal retainer, which is the sole reason I have come to this school."

Cedric Diggory, the second male prefect, nodded to himself. "So... she is blind then, isn't she?"

"Wasn't the blindfold obvious enough for you, Diggory?" the head boy snorted, almost snidely. Micheal met Conry's eyes. "If this is about looking out for her, we can do that. We are Hufflepuffs, you wouldn't find people more willing to."

Conry nodded, ignoring Cedric's put-off expression and Tonk's giggles. "That is indeed why I wanted to talk to you. But it isn't as simple as looking out for her." Conry frowned briefly. There was always the question how much he would tell them, how much he would make them pity Jane, though she needed anything but. His mistress was a strong soul but her fame could yet break her, no matter how much they'd need it in the future. With a sigh, Conry summoned four chairs for them to sit in, doing it with a wand of grayish wood just for appearance sake.

"Sit, please."

* * *

"Welcome to our common room," Josephine, the head girl, said as they stepped out of the tunnel hidden inside a barrel.

Ginny almost laughed. The common room looked more like a huge living room, couches and comfy chairs just about everywhere save for a few desks and one single bookshelf that fit snugly into an alcove in the very back of the room. Thick carpets in warm red and honey colors covered every inch of the flagstone underneath and long, beige and honey colored widths of cloth adorned the ceiling. The cold stone of the castle had been almost hidden entirely, it made the room look very warm and comforting.

A fire burned in a huge, terribly big hearth to their left, Conry could have walked inside of it with space left to stretch. To their left was a corridor, probably for the dorms. Over the corridor was a huge window, seemingly the only one in the entire room, which proudly displayed their house emblem crafted into the colorful mosaic window.

She caught Luna fiddling with a cord that hung down the wall from the ceiling. She was making faces at it, prodding the cord like it was a living thing. Helena apparently found it hilarious, patting the blonde girl on the head affectionately. The girl then joined Luna in... conversing?, making faces?, at the cord. Wow, those two certainly found each other.

The head girl was telling them about the dormitories - apparently they'd live in rooms of two, separated into boys and girls - and it made Ginny's heart beat faster. Sharing a room with Jane? Away from her parents and prying eyes? With no one to disturb them?

Morgana and Merlin almighty...

Was this what it felt like to be horny? _Really_ horny?

She had dreamed of her first day in Hogwarts for over a decade. Couldn't wait to explore the whole castle the moment she arrived and maybe find some treasure. Suddenly the day couldn't end fast enough. Thinking about going to bed with Jane tonight made her skin crawl pleasantly, distractingly even, and she missed the head girl assign them a room.

"Uhm," she made when Josephine stared at her expectantly, Jane at her side almost instinctively moving a step behind her. "Sorry? I didn't catch that."

The head girl smirked at her, a knowing smile on her lips. Ginny squeezed Jane's hand, pulling her closer. If the girl waited for her to stammer in embarrassment, well she'd wait a damn long time.

"The two of you have room number two," the head girl said, still smirking. "Your two friends are in room number one. You as good as have the first year dorm to yourself. There's only two boys for Hufflepuff this year." The way she said it, Ginny imagined she sounded almost pleased. "Breakfast is at eight. Don't stay up too late." And with that, she walked away to her own dorm room.

Ginny wet her lips. Her mind as far from sleep as could be. She glanced at Jane, who had been a bundle of nerves all the way to the common room, but had relaxed considerably since everyone left. Ginny noted that Luna and Helena had basically left them behind.

On purpose, probably. She'd bet it was Luna's fault. Or maybe it was thanks to Luna.

When Jane pulled in her arm, tugging her into an easy embrace, Ginny decided that it was most definitely thanks to Luna.

* * *

Numengrad was a depressing place. He hated it. _Built to contain his enemies._ He snorted. Now the old fool was in there himself. The prison was unguarded, not a soul aside from the sole prisoner was here. Well, and he himself, of course. The wards of this place arched for him, caressed his core with icy fingers, but let go just as quickly as they came. Trying not to shudder at the sensation, he entered the prison.

It was always cold in here, even when the sun fell into the surprisingly many windows, illuminate the bare stone walls and floors. Heavy, wrought iron doors lined the endless hallways but no one lurked behind those. He ascended floor by floor, the air cooler with every level, and finally reached the topmost floor, where a single cell was located, with the sole prisoner of this place.

"Gellert," he said, trying not to sneer, "Why would you call for me? The White mages are close enough to me as it is!"

From within the cell, a hoarse and brittle voice cackled dryly. _"Willst du mich nicht in deiner Muttersprache ansprechen?"_ the old man rasped tauntingly.

"You don't get the luxury to be addressed in that language, old man," he snarled back.

After a beat of silence, Gellert Grindelwald sighed wearily. "Fine, have it your way," he said, Gellert's English was blocky and heavily accented, much unlike his own. "I have summoned you, for there is a task you must carry out for me."

He grit his teeth. How dare that old-! "Why would I ever do something for you?"

"You answered my call," Gellert said simply.

He did indeed, though as to why he had heeded the call, he wasn't sure himself. "And that's as far as I'll go," he said shortly. "You don't get to command my around like some dog, you old fool. I may have been curious why you'd ever call on me but I have no reason to do your bidding so-!"

"Your mother," Gellert began and in an instant the young man fell silent, his teeth clacking loudly as he abruptly shut his mouth. "Your mother," Gellert said again, "was a wonderful woman, you know?"

He didn't. He never met her.

"She was always kind to me," the old man carried on, the tone of Gellert's voice sending chills up his spine. "When she asked for my help, I aided her readily." There was the sound of something shuffling behind the door before a single, awfully bright blue eye peering out at him. "Oh, you look so much like her, you know? She was distraught when they told her she'd loose you, yet here you are."

"What do you want?" he pressed through gritted teeth.

A toothless smile appeared in the small window of the door. "Just a small favor..."

* * *

"The wards have never been stronger," Albus mused absently as the heads of house, Conry included, gathered in his office for the standard meeting of the first day of the new school year. The headmaster was still impressed by the incredible boost the old wards had received once they sorted out Jane's position in the school. They were almost visible now, if the sunlight fell though them at the right angle.

"It is indeed wondrous!" Professor Flitwick squeaked excitedly from his comfy chair. "Miss Potter is truly powerful!"

"But how did you get her magic to power the wards?" Minerva asked from her own, straight backed chair, sitting near the hearth. "As far as I am aware, only the headmaster's magic can do that."

Conry, who had been nodding to a lot of portraits he had once personally known, chuckled lightly but didn't say anything on the matter. Minerva eyed him for a moment before turning a questioning gaze to the headmaster.

"Indeed," Albus said, "Only a headmaster can power the wards with his magic. Or a headmistress of course," he added, almost nonchalant, but his eyes twinkled merrily.

There was a beat of silence in the office. Professor Sprout's mouth opened, only to close again. Flitwick appeared beyond stunned and even the unusually distant looking Snape looked momentarily startled.

"Are you telling me," Minerva began, "That you instated a student as headmistress?"

Albus laughed jovially, "Why yes, I did!"

"Excuse me, headmaster," she said, "but are you _quite_ _mad_?"

Conry snorted, raising his voice for the first time. "I would suspect so but it was not what moved him towards this decisions. He had a vow to uphold, after all, and this was the most comfortable decision in milady's favor."

"Making her headmistress? One of my own house?" Professor Sprout asked incredulously.

"Her magic is too grand to stay within these wards without seriously affecting them in a negative way," Conry said, waving his hand dismissively. "This way, the wards get strengthened and Albus doesn't lose his soul for being idle in face of milady's discomfort."

Snape swiveled in his chair as if he had been slapped, looking at Albus with wide eyes. "You put an oath to your _soul_?!"

"I did indeed, Severus," the headmaster confirmed calmly. "It was the least I could do for her. I only wish I could have done more than just that."

" _Just_ that!?" Severus exclaimed, voice rising uncharacteristically. "You chained your very soul to the whim of a sixteen year old girl!"

"Watch your tongue," Conry growled from across the room. "You will address milady with the proper respect. _Especially_ you, you who should be begging to take the very same vow." Severus reared back as if struck, eyes wide as he met the wolf's golden ones. "Mistress Jane has specifically ordered me not to harm you, but harm would have been the least thing I'd do to you, Severus." Conry rose from his chair, to his full height, looming over the potion master like death himself. "I will never forget what you did, _boy_ ," he sneered. "Keep yourself in check or I will see myself disobeying milady's orders."

He sat back down, leaving a terrifying chill in the air. Snape looked like he could barely compose himself, Flitwick was actually shacking in his chair and Pomona had almost fainted dead away. Out of all of them, Minerva had fared the best, her lips merely thinning considerably, while Albus did his best to appear unaffected, though the twinkle in his eyes had dimmed somewhat severely.

The headmaster cleared his throat as the silence threatened to stretch on endlessly. "Now, the sole purpose of the meeting this year is indeed Miss Potter. The issue of her magic affecting the castle has been adequately resolved and the castle herself shall see to her accommodations. However, there are a few more things to consider." He glanced at Conry, who was still scowling, and received a curt nod. "Her obvious lack of sight will hinder her education here to a degree. I have been told she is perfectly capable of the written word and the ability to ascertain knowledge of the same through magic does not prove to be an obstacle. It is merely the way she is to be taught that we need to adjust slightly..."

* * *

Their room was bigger than she had expected, but Ginny merely glimpsed at the cozy bedroom for a second before Jane enraptured her attention. They were finally alone, behind closed and locked doors. Jane stood taller, her smile easy and coy again, and lightly danced around the room, brushing along walls, the two cupboards that stood against the wall, the soft tapestry that covered most of the stone walls, and finally bumped into the first of two beds,

Jane smiled, brushing her hand along the soft duvet. "It's so soft," she whispered, brushing a strand of her hair behind her now long and delicate ears. "Why not join me?" she as good as purred and Ginny found her heart beat erratically in her chest.

Ever since she had met Jane and Conry, Ginny's understanding for magic had grown explosively and with her dabbling in wandless magic, her sensitivity for it had increased as well. She could feel it clearly for a short while now. Jane's magic was reaching out to her, latching onto her own and... part of it felt as if _something remained behind_. A gentle tingling of the skin whenever Jane was near, but not from the outside, but as if Ginny's blood hummed at the very proximity. Not to speak of the bliss every little touch brought.

Just as Ginny was about to throw herself onto the bed with a vengeance, Jane's small faltered the tiniest bit and her posture slouched. Ginny almost tripped over her own feet, managing to lean onto the bed somewhat gracefully.

"What's wrong?" she asked, taking Jane's hand. "Are you feeling ill?" It wouldn't be a surprise. Crowds did tend to make her nauseous aside from anxious, which was putting it mildly really.

Jane sighed, flopping onto the bed, smiling weakly up at her. "A bit... perhaps," she admitted, "But that is... not bothering me right now."

Ginny laid down next to her, patiently waiting for her to continue, and played with a strand of her amazingly soft hair.

"I'm not sure I can do it," Jane confessed, "All these things I will have to do."

Ginny frowned. What Jane had to do... There was a lot that she didn't really grasp yet, but fighting untold evils or something like that did really sound like a tall order. "I believe you can do it," she said confidently. "I dunno what kind of evil thing might rise from... _beyond_ , I suppose, but I know it won't stand against _us_." Her family had allied itself with Jane, for better or worse, and she'd be damned if she didn't stand right there with her when it all came crashing down. Even though Ginny had no idea what would come.

Jane smiled and Ginny's skin tingled, soft flames licking her skin in a way that made her head swim. Jane's magic was so... so _potent_ , for the lack of a better word, nothing seemed to compare. "It is not the fighting I worry about," Jane said, the smile dimming a bit, "But what is expected of me." She watched her swallow thickly.

"What else is there?" she asked, gripping Jane's hand tightly.

"I'm trying my hardest," Jane whispered, "But I'm not... Merlin, I'm not even Emrys. I can't lead the people like they could."

 _Lead? Why would she need to lead the people?_

Jane continued, voice growing anxious. "I'm not like them, I can't lead a whole country. I can't even walk alone through the great hall without shaking!" Jane threw her free hand into the air helplessly, glittering sparks following the motion.

"But... why would you need to lead the, uh, country?" she asked. Wasn't that, like, too much? Whose Idea was that?

Jane turned her head and smiled sadly at her, scooting a bit closer. "The people have forgotten," she said, "Strayed from the path that was theirs and theirs alone to tread. They have proven to be incapable of returning on their own. Like Merlin once lead wizards and witches into order and safety, I will have to do the same. That is my destiny." Jane huffed, suddenly sounding very annoyed. "That and a lot of stupid prophecies see me in a lot of important fights that stay the balance of the world or something."

Ginny tried to process what she had just been told but it was... hard to warp her head around it. It didn't seem... real. Nevertheless, she nudged Jane's head with her own and said, "Well, you don't have to do that alone either, you know? You've got my family, allies and all that, Conry that old dog wouldn't leave your side if you ordered him to and... well, I'm here too."

Jane smiled at that, her coy, wonderful smile that only Ginny ever got to see. A wave of her hand darkened the room and Ginny didn't have the time to wonder how she could even do that without context or comprehension of the rooms brightness when she swiftly undid the blindfold that hid her eyes. "I know," she said softly.

Even in the dim light her eyes were clearly visible, actually glowing softly. Ginny couldn't look away, not even when Jane placed a hand on her side, lightly tugging on the shirt she was still wearing. The way Jane bit her lip ever so softly made her heart jump in circles and she really, really wanted to bite Jane's lips right this instance but she couldn't. Not yet anyways.

Maybe in less then ten seconds.

"We-... _I_ won't let you go through this alone," she said earnestly and just as Jane's lips parted slightly in a gasp, Ginny sealed them again with her lips.

There it was again. _Magic_. It coursed through her skin, liquid heat that tingled her nerves with a vengeance. Her own accepted Jane's magic as if it were a part of her already, like it had always meant to be this way. She didn't need to open her eyes to see stars as her head swam in the untold comfort that Jane's touch and magic brought. And, from the depths of her heart, Ginny hoped she had the same effect on her.

* * *

 _"So that's it?"_

 _The woman didn't turn around to them, yet they could see her smile sadly down from the hill they stood on, overlooking what had once been the suburbs of London, the remains still smoldering. A wave of the woman's hand quenched the remaining flames almost instantly and she said, "Not yet. We haven't lost yet."_

 _The determination in her voice was subtle, but the magic that coiled around her, piling upon her higher and higher, it left no doubt in their hearts._

 _"But will it be enough?" Luna asked of her, "I have seen and yet I have not. What comes beyond this point is a mystery in itself."_

 _This time the woman did turn around, eyes of solid gold shone like the very sun itself. "Only time will tell, dearest Lilith," she said with a tiny smile and vanished in a shift of the wind._

 _..._

When Luna woke the next morning, she didn't remember her dream, but words entered her mind, unbidden, almost the moment she awoke. "Only time will tell," she said quietly to herself before nodding. "Yes, I like that."

* * *

It was autumn, yet somehow the eastern coast of Greece managed to cook him alive. This "small favor" would be taking a while. Curse that old bastard! What did he even care for something that Herpo the Foul had once possessed? If not for his mothers, then-

He shook his head, squinting against the rising sun. Did it have to be so humid here? Wasn't this land supposed to be pretty barren? This here was worse than the tropics! Magicals and their stupid hiding places. Like aparating into a freaking thorn thicket was all kinds of funny. As expected, the runis were hidden underneath a pretty powerful ward. Not that power was any problem for him. His wand, black as the night and just shy of twelve inches long, appeared in his hand and he begun going through the many many layers of magic that had been piled upon this place, protecting whatever artifact Gellert wanted him to destroy.

 _Destroying_ it was the last thing he had thought he would have to do. Bring it to him or give it to the pesky White Mages that kept following him like rabid dogs, just whiter. Those people took their title far too serious and really wore nothing but white and the occasional light grey. Terrible fashion sense, those.

It took just about ten minutes until the ward came apart at it's seams and fell away, revealing... a cave. _Great_. Couldn't it have been one of those marble temples the Greek tended to build just about everywhere?

Morosely he descended into the cave, which was barely anything more than a hole in a mountainside, and at first glance there didn't seem to be anything inside aside from some bats, a goat and-

"Is that a _dragon_?" he asked aloud.

He wasn't sure if he should believe his eyes. The cave was pretty big, yeah - _and so was the Merlin damned dragon_ \- but maybe it was just another illusion. But after trying to find any magic that would deceive his senses, he found nothing at all. Nothing but magic so old he couldn't even understand it. If this, the damn dragon, was the artifact he was supposed to destroy... well, he was pretty much fucked. So, hoping that the old bastard hadn't talked about what appeared to be an either slumbering or outright dead dragon - it was really hard to tell, they barely even breathed when they "hibernated" like that - he searched the cave.

The more he searched, the more the cave appeared to be a dome, carved from within the mountain, obviously either by human hand or dragon claw. Aside from the occasional shiny stone and water that had accumulated in there, there wasn't anything noteworthy. But, behind the dragon, he could see something that might just be a pillar, a man made one. The only problem was, the dragon was sleeping snugly against the wall, leaving no room for him to crawl past without risking to wake the beast.

Dragons were known to sleep like mountains, the older the deeper, and judging from the discolored and fading scales, this dragon was incredibly old. Oh man... there was a lot he could stomach. Sleeping dragons were one thing, grumpily woken ones were on an entirely different scale of _Fuck me sideways._ Shit... couldn't he just lie to the old bastard? How dare that piece of rotting filth hold his own mother above him like that!

 _Well, here goes nothing..._

* * *

Conry observed tensely as the students came into the hall for breakfast the next morning. His mistress was notably calmer than the day before, even as she traversed the halls on her way here. Dumbledore was arranging his goblet in a particular fashion, transfiguring little figures into the golden surface and enchanting it to fill itself whenever he emptied it. The house elves would go crazy, someone enchanting their tableware, so he probably did that every day anew. McGonagall eyed him nervously, glancing from him to the door more often than was strictly necessary. Though it was nice to know that someone worried for milady as well, he probably worried for ten at a time.

Would the prefects handle the situation correctly? Would the wandering stairs let her pass without problems? _Did some foolish boy try to approach her_?

He growled under his breath. He should be with her! Flitwick flinched with a squeak in the seat to his left while Snape tried to look anywhere but at him. Conry shook his head. He needed to calm down. Ginny was with his mistress, so was Luna and the newest addition to their circle. Helena's magic was rather powerful for a pure human and if he judged her correctly, she would be a powerful ally- _no_ , a good friend to Jane too.

Allies. No, they wouldn't have something as simple as allies. Mistress wouldn't trust something as simple as allies. Riddle had allies, followers and those he forced into servitude. Bellatrix... mh, Mistress would free her eventually. The Black family had suffered enough already and saving one of their own from insanity was only natural.

Nymphadora Tonks stumbled into the hall just then. She was a bit clumsy, perhaps a side effect of having to keep her whole body together at any given time, but Conry knew she was a Black at heart. Cunning, loyal, honest and terrifyingly loud when angered. Sirius' mother had been like that. It had been far too long since he had visited Andromeda and he still resented that he hadn't intervened when they married off Narcissa to the Malfoys. If not for the purge, things could have gone very differently...

He shook his head. Past failings wouldn't drag him down. He had a mistress to serve.

Just as he thought of her, she came into the great hall, Ginny glowering at every student that looked in their direction, while Helena and Luna trailed after them, the latter animatedly talking about the danger of pink pudding to the male potency.

A blonde boy from Ravenclaw chocked on said pudding, almost falling off the bench

They shuffled over to the Hufflepuff table, were there was a convenient spot in between the female prefects and the head girl. As they took their seats, the whispering picked up again. Everyone was still eager to eye that beautiful girl that had survived the killing curse and "vanquished" the dark lord. Conry eyed the Gryffindors as they settled in. The Weasely's among them hissed more or less viciously at anyone that was pointing and whispering in Jane's general direction, Percy flashing his prefect badge every five seconds and the hourglasses that kept track of the house points showed that Gryffindor was rather steadily losing points. Not that there were many to lose yet.

What almost surprised him was Snape's vicious glare that roamed up and down the Slytherin house table, staring anyone into submission that so much as dared to whisper loud enough to be overheard. Almost surprised him, yes, for Conry remembered all too well the man's attachment to mistress Lily. Even after he had been told of the circumstances and James' heritage. Trying to keep and elf from their destined was a crime in his eyes, one he'd never forgive if he could help it.

* * *

Breakfast was odd. Jane could feel all those eyes on her, almost taste their whispers in the air, yet somehow it wasn't the same as yesterday. The stares were less piercing, the whispers more subdued. All in all, Jane thought she could actually handle this kind of being in public. Of course she knew that, in time, she would have to be unaffected, confident and strong in face of the public eye. But that time hadn't come yet. Wouldn't be tomorrow, wouldn't even be next week, probably not even next year and years after that.

What did come now, however, was a sweet apple pie for breakfast. That she could deal with. The plate she found easily enough, her fingers found what she assumed to be a fork or a spoon, and swiftly lead the sweet, sweet pastry in her mouth.

A noise of delight escaped her. Oh! This was _soooo_ good! "Thank you, little lost ones," she whispered quietly. She needed more of that!

"Here," Luna said from her left, "Have some more. This will make the sun too bright to see!"

Okay. Jane had to admit that she didn't fully grasp what Luna had meant with that, but the extra apple pie she could practically smell on her plate was just too delicious to put off any longer. She thanked Luna quietly and with a sincere smile and continued eating, indulging her sweet tooth.

"You _really_ love sweet stuff, huh?" Helena asked humorlessly. "There are strawberries over here, too, you know?"

She stopped the fork mid motion. "Strawberries?"

Helena laughed. "Yes, strawberries. Should I... push them over to you?"

She nodded eagerly.

"I wonder where you put all that," Ginny mused aloud. Jane could hear the smile in her voice.

She blushed, couldn't help it, but managed a cheeky smile in Ginny's direction. "You are just jealous of my metabolism."

Ginny paused, obviously as surprised as Jane was about the teasing. Then she snorted. "Oh, well, maybe I am, but-," She leaned closer to Jane, whispering in her ear, "-as long as it's keeping your butt as nice as it is, I won't try to take it from you."

Ginny's breath was hot against her ear and for a moment, Jane forgot that they were surrounded by at least three hundred curious students. She turned to fully face her, an easy smile stretching her lips. "Worry not," she said affectionately, "It's all yours."

Then reality caught up with her. She squeaked quietly and hid her face in her hands. The stares were everywhere, but when Ginny laughed quietly, taking her hand under the table, it wasn't half as bad anymore.

"Wow," Helena huffed, "That was hot."

* * *

The first class Conry got to teach that day just so happened to be the second year Gryffindors and Slytherins. The animosity between the two houses was almost palpable, though it seemed a lot tamer than when he had been here with Master James in his seventh year. Predictably, Hermione positioned herself at the very front of the classroom, Ron had been unwillingly dragged along, though appeared at least genuinely interested. Well, the young Weasley had already sat in some of his lessons before, so he knew he could teach him a thing or two.

Daphne Greengrass had dragged her friend - who was winking blatantly at him - to sit on the table next to Hermoine and Ron, just where the two houses were splitting in the classroom. It would be nice to see them mingle one day.

He waited patiently for them all to be seated, keeping an eye on the young Malfoy, who took a seat as far away from him as possible and, after the attempt of interaction with his mistress, Conry was just fine with that. For the sake of appearing more sophisticated, Conry had combed his hair back, capturing it in a low pony-tail which he fastened with a blue chord. According to Ginny, it made him look older, though she might have said that to spite him. He hadn't bothered reading her thoughts to that.

"Good morning, class," he greeted them while the last few students trickled into the classroom. He stood behind his desk, arms behind his back. "While we all have met yesterday, I am still going to introduce myself again. I am Conry Grey, you newly appointed History teacher," He bowed slightly to them, "and, as promised yesterday, this first lesson is mostly for general questioned you have on the subject."

He could have expected it, but Hermione's hand was the first to shoot up into the air. He smiled at her. "Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Your name, Professor," she began, "I may have heard it before, read about it probably, and I was wondering, does it really mean _Grey Wolf_? Or is your name written differently."

Well, that was a rather odd question. "It does indeed, Miss Granger. My name does mean Grey Wolf. It is a name my ancestors have carried down their line for many generations." He thought for a moment, about the right way to continue this. His name, Conry, came up in some history books. All of them he himself, of course, but his immortality was a secret. "Twelve of them came before me so far."

Another hand was lifted hesitantly a few rows behind Hermione, who was scribbling down what he had told her. "Uhm, Professor, what exactly are we going to cover this year?"

He smiled at the girl. "Well, Miss Brown, I had dearly hoped someone would ask me this question." She blushed rather brilliantly, ducking her head. "In history of magic, we will cover just that, the history of magic. The focus is less on history of wizards and witches, but the magics of the past, great spellcrafters and inventions that have graced the magical world. But we won't stop there. I intend to show you the magics of goblins, elves, unicorns and dragons. As you learn spells in your other classes, we will also cover them here and I will show you how they came to be, perhaps who crafted them, and what magics hide behind the spells themselves."

The class was silent. A satisfactory reaction. "Assuming you have no other questions-" Someone on the Slytherin side, Tracey Davis sitting besides, Daphne, raised her hand. "Miss Davis?"

"Are you single?" she asked bluntly, staring inquisitively.

He smiled softly, for a moment his mind wandered. "I am a widower," he said after a slight pause.

Davis' stare faltered and she blinked in surprise. "Oh," she mouthed, leaning back in her seat in an uncomfortable silence that followed.

"Do not feel bad about asking questions," he said. "Do not apologies for things like this. You didn't know, did not ask uncomfortable questions on purpose." He gave them time to ask another question, but no one raised their hand. "Then let us begin with one of the oldest things I can teach you, the magic of the forest and elm..."

* * *

Jane's first lesson of the day was transfiguration. To avoid human contact as much as possible, she left the hall early, her friends - now including Helena - in tow. They arrived well before the others from their year did, more because the wandering stairs guided them correctly and wandered off again when the other students came than leaving ten minutes early.

Walking more or less glued to Ginny's arm through a castle that brimmed with magic was as delightful as it was scary. Every step she took she passed through the magic of hundreds of students, some of them even felt familiar, some of them were familiar. Very much so. But she tried not to think about it, squeezing Ginny's hand tightly as they walked into what Jane assumed to be the classroom. It sounded empty, safe for the smell and presence of one single thing.

A cat.

Oh. _Yes_.

She was gonna pet it, come hell or high water.

* * *

Professor McGonagall had been eager for this lesson ever since the schedule had been finalized over a month ago. Teaching Jane Potter, interacting with her, getting to know her. It could only have been better if she'd been sorted into her house. As she did with every first year class, she perched herself atop her desk in her animagus form, a tabby cat with curious, spectacle-like marks around the eyes. She had barely gotten comfortable when the first students walked in.

As expected, it were Jane and her friends. The young Potter did look rather timid, clinging to Weasley like a lifeline, though mere moments after entering, she suddenly straightened, her nose twitching visibly. Without any prior warning, the girl suddenly walked forward, just short of jogging.

"Jane!" Miss Weasley called after her but any worry seemed unfounded when Jane breezed by the desks and chairs without stopping.

Minerva almost jumped when she glided past a chair that had been directly in her path. How was she doing that? And what was she going for in the first place? The girl came to an abrupt stop right in front of her, just short of barreling right into the table. That was seriously impressive, but, moreover, scary. Minerva managed to keep herself from scooting away when Miss Potter reached out with her hands an... petted her side.

That... was new. In her three decades of teaching, no student had ever so managed to so much as brush her fur while she was in her animagus form. And... why was she purring? Ah, that spot right under her chin was... mesmerizing... What deft fingers she had...

Minerva shook herself, trying to gently push the hands away, but they just found a new spot that should not feel the way it did. Was she... using magic? It certainly felt like it.

" _You have such soft fur._ "

Well, another first. No one had complemented her animagus form before and- Wait! Had the girl just _meowed_ at her?

 _"And such beautiful magic as well,"_ she heard, definitely meowed at her. _"Want to know a secret? I can do that as well."_

The girl smiled at her, an unperturbed, wonderful smile, before her hair bristled slightly and she changed in front of Minerva's eyes into her animagus form.

 _Oh my..._ Two radiant green eyes stared at her, eyes that were even brighter than Jame's had been. Minerva wanted to be surprised, but given that her father had been an animagus and Conry's presence in Miss Potter's life had basically assured her becoming an animagus.

Behind the animal Jane had become, Miss Weasley pumped her fist in the air. "I knew it!" she exclaimed. "That flea bag owes me a galleon!"

* * *

 **A/N: So? What will Jane's animagus be? Putting it out for a vote!**

 **Cat, Wolf, Owl, Raven or... uh, How does a Snake sound? Strange, right? Wouldn't fit. Good thing I hadn't intended to do that at all.**


End file.
